Saquon Barkley scripted a remarkable performance after falling on his first carry, scoring back-to-back touchdowns against the Packers in his Eagles debut. He impressed many with his performance, including NFL legends Jason Kelce and Tyreek Hill.
Advertisement
With the Eagles trailing 6-0, Barkley had runs of 5 and 11 yards, shifting the momentum back to the Eagles. A play later, Jalen Hurts connected with Barkley on a wheel route for an 18-yard touchdown.
On the next drive, Barkley broke free for an 11-yard TD run, giving the Eagles a 14-12 lead. With two touchdowns, Barkley outshined stars like Jordan Love and Hurts, sparking a frenzy on social media.
Posting on X (formerly Twitter), Hill wrote, “Saquon is so explosive omg,” while Jason Kelce celebrated Barkley’s first touchdown as an Eagle with, “The Throwback!! Saquon’s first touchdown as an Eagle!!”
Several Eagles fans also voiced their support for Barkley’s impressive performance:
One user believed it was an “utterly ridiculous” catch for a running back.
That catch was utterly ridiculous for a running back. Barkley's catching ability is unreal
— SABAN! (@Sabinistic) September 7, 2024
Another fan called it a “plot twist.”
In an alternate universe, Saquan Barkley just became the most loved and hated player in Philadelphia. Rooting for a Giants star in Eagles green—what a plot twist!
— Serkan Glatt (@serkanglatt) September 7, 2024
You gotta love that the broadcast described him as “wide open” – that was a perfect pass to an elite RB/receiver into double coverage. Well done!
— John Tracy (@RecruiterJT) September 7, 2024
Another fan reminisced about Barkley’s brilliance at Penn State.
He did that at Penn State a lot!!! Love seeing it in an Eagle uniform 🦅💚
— Bearsman12 (@BrennanB1977) September 7, 2024
However, Barkley left the game at the end of the second quarter but returned in the third amid injury fears. He collided with Packers DT Karl Brooks after gaining two yards on a first down.
Despite initial concerns, Barkley came back into the game, which is reassuring for the Eagles’ fans.
His scoring ability adds a significant advantage for the Eagles team, which faced criticism last season for insufficient scoring.
With Barkley shining, the Eagles will likely be tempted to give him more opportunities in both the running game and receiving game.
