Saquon Barkley Looks Back at His Gruesome ACL Tear From 2020, Feels Blessed by His Career Turnaround

Saquon Barkley was the highlight of the 2024 season after debuting for the Eagles. The star running back rushed for over 2,000 yards, becoming just the ninth player in NFL history to achieve that feat. He also helped lead the team to its second-ever Super Bowl victory. But before joining the Eagles, Saquon hadn’t experienced much success in his career. In fact, in 2020, it looked as though his career might hit a dead end.

Saquon might have seen a turnaround this past season in the City of Brotherly Love, but initially, it seemed like his talents were going to be wasted with the Giants. After an incredible rookie season that earned him Rookie of the Year honors in 2018, injuries in his second season slowed him down. He still managed to rush for 1,000 yards in year two, but the Giants were a dismal 4-12.

The lowest point of Saquon’s career came in year three. He played just one full game before tearing his ACL in the second, cutting his season short. At the time, he posted a photo on Instagram, arms around his trainers as he was helped off the field, with a caption that screamed optimism:

“Gonna be one hell of a story…”

 

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A post shared by Saquon Barkley (@saquon)

Well, what a story it was. Saquon has come a long way since the tear. In 2021, he was above average but battled injuries again. Then, in 2022, he was back to being amazing. He totaled over 1500 combined yards, led the Giants to the Wild Card, and played an instrumental role in upsetting the Vikings. Ironically, he would lose to his future team that postseason at Lincoln Financial Field.

Today, Saquon revisited the post he made years ago, sharing it on his Instagram story and penning a note that read,

“The story continues… GOD is the greatest.”

pic.twitter.com/lou1k3pE4l

— Semper (@Semper152892) March 3, 2025

It’s touching to see Saquon getting his flowers after all these years. Ever since the videos of him squatting incredible amounts of weight in college went viral, almost every NFL fan has been rooting for him. He’s a likable guy. He doesn’t say or do the wrong things while constantly churning out highlight reel plays. There’s a reason why the Eagles signed him to such a lucrative contract — three-year, $37.75 million. 

Now at 28, with seven years of experience under his belt, the sky feels like the limit for Saquon. And it’s not just him, but the Eagles have pieces that should stick around for a while. Like Jalen Hurts, DeVonta Smith, and Jalen Carter. There could be more Super Bowl appearances on the tab for the back and his team.