This year, Philadelphia Eagles RBSaquon Barkley is facing high expectations. He is looking tobuild on the success of his Super Bowl-winning season against the Kansas City Chiefs.
With all this hoopla, Barkley is looking to defy a certain adage. That a top-notch RB can't duplicate his success from the previous season. Something hetook umbrage with during an interview with Sports Radio 94 WIP
“That narrative is kind of annoying,” he said. “I think I play the only position in the NFL or in any sport that you're supposed to have a bad year because you had a good year the year prior.”
Saquon Barkley combats the narrative that running backs can’t have two amazing seasons in a row:
"That narrative is kind of annoying. I think I play the only position in the NFL or in any sport that you're supposed to have a bad year because you had a good year the year prior." pic.twitter.com/o3zP1CT758
— SPORTSRADIO 94WIP (@SportsRadioWIP) August 27, 2025
Last year, Barkley finished with 2,005 rushing yards on 345 carries, resulting in 13 touchdowns. After playing five seasons (2018-2023) with the New York Giants, Barkley found a home in Philadelphia.
Since winning the Super Bowl, he has been on a whirlwind.Barkley racked up numerous endorsement deals andwasplastered on the cover of the new Madden 26 game. Altogether, the Eaglesare set once again to be contenders for yet another Super Bowl title.
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All the while, they face challenges due to some recent defensive turnover, but they still have Barkley and Jalen Hurts at the helm at quarterback.
Where does Saquon Barkley place among the best NFL RBs?
Without question, Barkley is one of the best running backs in the NFL. Among all the major ranking systems, Barkleyis consistently listed in the top five or top ten.
The Associated Pressplaced him as the top RB after the 2024 Super Bowl-winning season. Additionally, the AP named him the NFL Offensive Player of the Year.
Recently, ESPNofficially put Barkley as the 3rd best RB in the category of PPR (points per reception). Back in June, CBS Sportsalso ranked Barkley as the No. 3-ranked player in the NFL.
a]:text-link [&_>a]:underline">Zachary Draves is a sportswriter and broadcaster based in the Quad Cities of Illinois and Iowa. Zachary covers a variety of different sports as well as sports history, sport and society, and sport and culture.