After turning in one of the most electric rushing performances in the history of gridiron football, Saquon Barkley is currently quite literally enjoying the riches of his success. With the Philadelphia Eagles officially granting him the honor of being the highest-paid running back in NFL history, the only thing to question about Barkley is the structuring of his new contract.
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Despite being rewarded with a $36-million guarantee for his efforts in securing a Super Bowl victory for the Eagles, the 28-year-old’s new contract is laced with incentives, worth $15 million. In the wake of Philadelphia’s announcement, the brotherly duo of Jason and Travis Kelce shared their reactions to the news on the latest episode of their New Heights podcast.
More knowledgeable of Barkley’s capabilities than most, Travis pointed to the gross amount of incentives included in the deal. In recognizing the bell cow back as one of the premiere leaders of the time, the Kansas City Chiefs’ star tight end questioned the logic behind incentive-driven deals.
“So you have to, like, rely on someone’s vote to get your incentive? **** ew. Damn. That’s ****ed up.”
However, considering that Barkley was able to produce the most rushing yards in a season, counting playoffs, ever, the former Philadelphia center vehemently asserted that,
“He deserved every penny. He proved how valuable, not just as a running back, but his big-play strike ability. He’s able to change a game… Just a great freaking dude.”
While the two were able to recognize that the $36-million guarantee was hard to overlook, they failed to warm up to the idea of so much money being held up by what some may consider to be arbitrary performance requirements. However, it’s hard to imagine Barkley failing to meet his incentives given his recent body of work.
The former Eagle in Kelce couldn’t help but love the deal at the end of the day. Ensuring that the league’s most dominant back remains in Philadelphia for another two seasons, the Eagles are seemingly wanting to ensure that their championship window remains open for as long as possible.
For context, the New York Giants, Barkley’s former employer, just reached a $36-million agreement with their WR2, Darius Slayton. A six-year veteran who’s spent his entire career in New York, Slayton has scored 21 touchdowns throughout his time with the Giants.
By comparison, Barkley scored 15 touchdowns himself throughout the 2024 regular season. New York’s infamous fallout with Barkley will likely continue to trouble the minds of football fans for decades to come.
One thing that is easy to understand, however, is the Eagles’ decision to ensure that the final days of the best running back in the league are spent in the city of brotherly love.
