Losing your star player in free agency is hurtful. But do you know what’s more hurtful? Seeing your beloved player join your most hated rival in free agency. New York Giants fans are feeling this exact hurt after reports emerged announcing Saquon Barkley signing with the Giants’ NFC East rivals Philadelphia Eagles. In this medley of NFL drama, an unexpected visitor made an appearance. Kevin Durant caught a stray from fans due to the similarity of his situation with Barkley, but he isn’t one to stay quiet.
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The move across the division means that Barkley would face his old team at least twice in a season. Safe to say, Giants’ fans aren’t happy with this prospect, and rightly so.
Former Giants RB Tiki Barber is also one among them. Tiki is one of the most loyal players to have played in the NFL in recent memory. He spent his 10-year career entirely with the Giants, becoming a beloved star for their fans. The former Giants RB was disappointed by Saquon’s move. He thus expressed his disappointment on his show on WFAN, New York by telling Saquon he and his legacy are dead to him and Giants fans.
“You’re dead to us, Saquon. Good luck, you’re dead to me.”
Barkley hit back at Tiki on “X” and immediately questioned the former RB on his loyalty. For those out of the loop, one of the key reasons for Barber’s divorce was his having an affair with an NBC intern. Barkley poked Tiki with this and reminded him that he did what was best for him because the Giants didn’t give him what he wanted. Moreover, he iterated that never turned his back on his teammates.
Amidst this online beef, one fan slyly compared Barkley’s shift from the Giants to the Eagles to what Kevin Durant did in 2016 when he moved to rivals Golden State Warriors from Oklahoma. Durant surprisingly chose to reply to the comment by stating the following.
Durant to date has been criticized for the move. However, he couldn’t care less as he went on to win two more championships with the Warriors and was their MVP on both occasions. Similarly, Saquon Barkley shouldn’t be minding much about the hate as his new deal with the Eagles is quite lucrative.
Saquon Barkley Signs an Impressive Three-Year Deal With Philadelphia Eagles
One of the biggest talking points among the Giants fanbase over the last 2 years revolved around placing the franchise tag on Saquon Barkley or not. The RB is one of the most prolific attackers in the league today and losing him for free was the last thing Giants fans wanted. However, their team management’s decision to not franchise tag Saquon and their inability to meet his demands forced the RB to free agency.
Luckily for him, he soon found a home in the Philadelphia Eagles who are reportedly giving him the fourth-richest contract for an RB in the league after McCaffrey, Alvin Kamara, and Jonathan Taylor. As per reports, Barkley has signed a three-year, $37.75 million deal. This deal is a great move for the Eagles because they get a world-class RB with NFC East experience. Moreover, he will be entering the Eagles setup in red-hot form after a fantastic 2023 season.
In his 14 starts for the Giants last season, Saquon had 6 rushing TDs, 962 rush yards, 41 receptions for 280 yards, and four passing TDs. His ideal age and leadership acumen make him a fantastic long-term prospect for the Eagles. Lastly, pairing him with D’Andre Swift will be a killer deal!
