As far as generational campaigns by NFL running backs go, Saquon Barkley’s 2024 season ranks among the best the league has ever seen. With over 2,000 rushing yards in the regular season and leading the Eagles to a Super Bowl win, Barkley earned a place in the history books — not just on the field, but at the negotiating table too.
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This offseason, the Philly hero was rewarded with a two-year extension worth $41.2 million, making him the highest-paid running back in NFL history.
But most importantly, the Eagles star’s deal set a new standard as Barkley became the first RB to earn over $20 million in a season, with performance escalators that could push his total payout even higher. For a position long considered underpaid, this contract marks a monumental shift, especially for the future of the position.
Despite this achievement, Barkley isn’t getting carried away. Speaking to ESPN after being announced as the cover star of Madden 26, he remained grounded and introspective about the moment.
“It’s football,” Barkley said when asked whether his deal should reshape how running backs are viewed. “When a quarterback gets paid, the next quarterback that gets paid gets paid more… So for guys like Bijan [Robinson] and Jahmyr [Gibbs]… super excited for those guys.”
But what stood out most in his response was the respect he showed toward another great back: Derrick Henry.
“The biggest one for me is Derrick,” Barkley explained. “They say running backs can’t perform at a high level when they turn 29 or 30… and Derrick Henry just proved that wrong and was able to extend again.”
The Baltimore Ravens star’s contract situation is a perfect counterweight to Barkley’s. Though the 28-year-old Eagles RB’s deal is flashier — both in numbers and timing — Henry’s extension with the Ravens this offseason carries a different kind of weight. Because at 31, Henry signed a two-year, $30 million deal with $25 million guaranteed, making it the richest ever for a running back over the age of 30.
So Barkley, at the peak of his powers, is already thinking ahead — to that third contract, the one most RBs never see. And for inspiration, he’s looking towards none other than the 31-year-old freight train in Charm City.
That kind of longevity — and recognition — is rare in today’s NFL, where backs are often seen as replaceable. But if anyone can defy the odds, it’s Barkley.
