PHILADELPHIA -- Saquon Barkley will play Monday after [suffering a stinger](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7613997/2026/09/20/saquon-barkley-injury-update-eagles-titans/) during the first offensive play of the Philadelphia Eagles' Week 2 win, the star running back said Friday.
The Eagles visit the Chicago Bears on "Monday Night Football" in Week 3. Barkley was a limited participant in practice Thursday before returning to his full workload Friday.
"Everyone knows what it is -- a stinger -- some are worse than others, and just keeping the nerves calmed down around it," Barkley said. "Beautiful thing is it's a Monday night game, so I have a little more time. But right now, the mindset is I'm good to go. Might have to put on a little cowboy collar for a little bit, but I'd rather that than something with my ankles and my feet and my legs."
Barkley exited the game against the Tennessee Titans last week after taking a hit from defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons on the opening carry. He missed the rest of the first half before returning in the second half wearing the horseshoe-shaped neck roll.
Barkley had just five touches in the game. He said the padding he wore Sunday was restrictive, and he's worked with the equipment staff this week on "coming up with something that not only is going to protect me, but also allows me to play the way I want to play, play free."
Barkley said he does not believe the injury will affect him against the Bears.
"I know that they wouldn't let me go out there if I wasn't able to do it," he said. "I'm gonna go out there and play fearless. Don't worry about it. … I've dealt with a lot of injuries in my career, the mental side of it a little bit, so I'm excited. Feel good. Feel like I'm having great practice. Feel like we put a great week of work in as a whole, and we got a great opportunity."
Barkley underwent an MRI exam earlier this week to ensure the injury was not serious. He has a history of stingers. This was "the first bad one I had in a long time," he said.
A stinger is a nerve injury that causes a stinging pain from the neck down the arm to the hand. Barkley was seen flexing his left fist on the sideline Sunday. When asked if the injury could affect his grip or ability to catch the ball, Barkley said he mostly carries the ball with his right hand, so that was not a concern. The necessary strength returned this week.
"Nerve things are scary," Barkley said. "It's not the first stinger I ever got. Won't be the last, but some are worse than others. And most important thing, our trainers do a really good job of protecting. Sometimes the trainers gotta protect you from yourself, and I think they did that because the second I had any strength back, I was ready to go back out there, but I had to wait until my strength fully came back. But my strength is back. We're calming the nerve now, and I'm blessed."
Barkley has not missed a game due to injury since signing with the Eagles in 2024, and he devotes significant time and resources to his body and career longevity. He admitted he "probably wasn't as great as I needed to be with my neck stability and strength in my neck."
Barkley's backups are Tank Bigsby and Will Shipley. Both have also been on the injury report this week.
The Eagles rank No. 24 in the NFL in EPA/rush, No. 14 in rushing yards per game and No. 16 in yards per carry. Barkley stopped himself when he was about to say the Eagles must "get this thing going" because they're 2-0. He acknowledged that the running game can improve. A healthy Barkley will help.
"Just continue to focus on our process, and the results will come," Barkley said. "I wish I could tell you that they were going to come in Week 1. I wish I could guarantee it's going to come in Week 3. You just never know, but I know that the results will come, and we will get this thing rolling; it's going to be something scary."
This article originally appeared in [The Athletic](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7630970/2026/09/25/eagles-saquon-barkley-injury-stinger-bears-mnf/).