The NFL’s most prestigious rushing record will stand for another year.
Eric Dickerson’s 1984 mark of 2,105 yards will remain untouched after Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni announced his decision to rest Saquon Barkley in the regular season finale against the New York Giants.
Despite being just 101 yards shy of history, Barkley took the news gracefully, revealing that his family seemed more invested in the record chase than he was himself.
FOX Sports analyst Chris Broussard didn’t mince words when discussing the implications of this decision for the Eagles.
“Well, they better win the Super Bowl. I mean, this decision means you better win the Super Bowl. And I don’t think they will either, obviously, but you make this decision, you’re absolutely right. … Saquan in his mind is gonna think, ‘I wish they had let me go for the record. Heck, I shoulda went for the record,'” Broussard said on “First Things First.”
“They better win the Super Bowl. This decision means you better win the Super Bowl.”
— @Chris_Broussard on the Eagles deciding to rest Saquon Barkley vs. Giants pic.twitter.com/e6T1XFH9dg
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) January 2, 2025
The decision carries significant weight, particularly given Dickerson’s well-documented desire to preserve his record.
For now, his place in the history books remains secure. The Eagles, meanwhile, are locked into the No. 2 seed in the NFC, missing out on both a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.
Their path forward leads straight into the wild-card round next week, where they’ll face either the Washington Commanders or Green Bay Packers.
As Philadelphia prepares for what promises to be an intense playoff journey, the decision to rest Barkley underscores its laser focus on postseason success, even at the cost of individual achievements.
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