Eagles' Saquon Barkley named AP offensive player of the year

EJ Smith, The Philadelphia Inquirer on Feb 6, 2025

Published in Football

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NEW ORLEANS — Saquon Barkley was named offensive player of the year by the Associated Press on Thursday, further cementing his first season with the Eagles into NFL history.

The 27-year-old was announced as the winner at NFL Honors, but wasn’t in attendance as the Eagles prepare for Super Bowl LIX against the Kansas City Chiefs this Sunday.

The other finalists for the award finishing behind Barkley in the voting were Lamar Jackson, Ja’Marr Chase, Derrick Henry and Joe Burrow. Barkley received 35 first-place votes to Jackson’s 12.

Barkley became just the ninth running back in league history to eclipse the 2,000-yard mark in the regular season and will need just 30 yards this Sunday to break Terrell Davis’ record for most rushing yards in the regular season and playoffs combined.

His 2,005 yards in the regular season were the most in Eagles history and put him within reach of Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record, but coach Nick Sirianni elected to rest the majority of the team’s starters for the regular-season finale with the group’s playoff seeding already determined.

Barkley seemingly benefitted from the time off, going for over 100 yards in each of the Eagles’ postseason games and pulling off a signature performance in a divisional-round win over the Los Angeles Rams. As heavy snowfall descended upon Lincoln Financial Field, Barkley broke off multiple explosive rushes en route to a 205-yard, two-touchdown performance.

After Barkley went for 118 yards and three touchdowns in the NFC championship game against the Washington Commanders, Sirianni said Barkley would be his obvious choice for MVP.

“They don’t give me a vote for MVP, but I know who my vote would [be,]” Sirianni said. “That’s probably why they don’t give me a vote, because I would vote for Saquon.”

In the regular season, Barkley had his share of signature moments as well while serving as the steadying force for the Eagles offense. He had a career-high 302 yards from scrimmage in Week 12 against the Rams and pulled off a backward hurdle in Week 9 against the Jacksonville Jaguars that left his teammates and the greater public awestruck.

By December, Eagles guard Landon Dickerson hung framed photos of Barkley on the back wall of the team’s locker room along with athletic tape underneath with the words “THE CHOSEN ONE” and “OUR SAVIOR” written on them.

Barkley also had 176 rushing yards on just 17 carries against the New York Giants, exacting revenge on his former team after a fruitless, multi-season contract negotiation led to him hitting free agency last offseason and signing a three-year, $37.75 million contract.