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Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley has joined an elite club after eclipsing 2,000 rushing yards for the season during the Eagles’ 41-7 demolition of the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday. Barkley carried the ball a season-high 31 times for 167 yards, pushing his season total to 2,005 yards. His dominant performance not only solidified his standing as the NFL’s leading rusher but also sparked speculation about whether he could challenge Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record of 2,105 yards in Week 18.
Barkley’s 2,000-yard milestone is a testament to his consistency and explosiveness throughout the season. He shattered the Eagles’ single-season rushing record earlier this year and has been the centerpiece of an offense that currently leads the NFC. The ovation he received from the Philadelphia faithful at Lincoln Financial Field was a moment of triumph in a career season for Barkley, who battled injuries and inconsistency in previous years.
Eric Dickerson’s 1984 record of 2,105 rushing yards has stood for nearly four decades. Many have come close—Adrian Peterson fell just eight yards short in 2012—but no one has surpassed it. Barkley now stands 101 yards away, needing another standout performance in Week 18 to claim the record.
However, there’s a wrinkle: the Eagles have already secured their playoff position, rendering the Week 18 Eagles/Giants matchup essentially meaningless. This raises the question of whether head coach Nick Sirianni will allow Barkley to chase history or rest him for the postseason.
When asked about the possibility of pursuing the record, Barkley deferred to his coach. “It’s up to Nick. Whatever his decision is, I’m all for it,” Barkley said in his postgame comments (per The Athletic's Brooks Kubena). His unselfishness aligns with his team-first mentality, but it’s clear that the opportunity to etch his name in history is within reach.
Interestingly, Dickerson has publicly expressed his desire for Barkley to fall short of his record. Speaking on the topic earlier this season, the Hall of Famer said, “absolutely not” when asked whether he would like Barkley to break his record. Dickerson’s comment adds an extra layer of intrigue to the decision facing the Eagles in Week 18.
Sirianni’s decision is not without stakes. While giving Barkley the green light to pursue the record could cement his season as one of the greatest ever by a running back, it also carries the risk of injury. Barkley has already handled a heavy workload this year, and any setback could impact the Eagles’ postseason aspirations.
Conversely, resting Barkley could mean leaving history on the table. For a player of Barkley’s caliber, surpassing Dickerson’s mark would elevate his legacy and potentially earn him NFL MVP consideration, a rare feat for a running back in today’s quarterback-driven league.
The Eagles are expected to announce their Week 18 plans in the coming days. Whether or not Barkley takes the field, his 2023 campaign has been nothing short of spectacular. But for fans and football historians alike, the chance to witness a player break one of the league’s most hallowed records adds an undeniable allure to the season finale. Will Barkley get his shot at history? That decision rests with Nick Sirianni—and the stakes couldn’t be higher.
