Indeed, it’s an exciting time for spirited Philadelphia Eagles fans. The birds secured another win –a franchise best nine-game winning streak– Sunday against the Panthers. But the star of the game was Eagles running back, Saquon Barkley who set a franchise record for the most single-season rushing yards. And now, Barkley could very well set an NFL record in the same category.
Saquon Barkley sets franchise record
In a Sunday 22-16 victory over the Carolina Panthers, Eagles running back Saquon Barkley began the game only 109 yards away from breaking the most single-season rushing years. The record was previously set by LeSean “Shady” McCoy, who rushed for 1,607 yards in 2013.
Barkley ended the game with 124.
As Barkley set a the franchise record during the 4th quarter with a 9-yard gain, the crowd was on fire, chanting in unison, “MVP, MVP!
“I think it’s pretty cool,” Barkley commented. “The most important thing was getting the win, and we got a win. But being a fan of Shady’s growing up, seeing the spectacular things he was able to do with the ball in his hand, and to be able to have my name mentioned with him definitely means a lot. But credit to the guys up front. They’ve made my job a lot easier.”
McCoy went on to congratulate Barkley on breaking his franchise record.
But now, the team newcomer is on his way to cementing his place in NFL history.
Could Barkley set a new NFL record?
After setting a new franchise record, Barkley will set his sights on breaking Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record of 2,105 yards. Dickerson set this record in 1984.
The path to setting a new NFL record may seem like a challenging one. Barkley needs 483 yards—or an average of 121 per game—to surpass Dickerson.
However, Barkley’s season average of 125 yards per game suggests this is very well possible.
With only four games left to go, Philadelphia fans are optimistic Barkley’s first year on the team will also be his most ground-breaking one.
GO BIRDS! 🦅💚