The Philadelphia Eagles captured their second Lombardi Trophy by winning Super Bowl LIX. Quarterback Jalen Hurts and Co. nearly did the same two years prior in Super Bowl LVII. That night, though, they came up short.
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Through much of the 2023 campaign, coach Nick Sirianni’s team appeared destined for a return to the NFL’s biggest stage. But the Eagles flamed out down the stretch, losing six of their final seven games (including playoffs). Something needed to change if they were to rebound in 2024. Enter Saquon Barkley, whose addition ultimately put Philly over the top, according to Jalen Hurts.
Hurts shared his opinion on the sideline during Super Bowl LIX. The NFL’s “Mic’d Up” crew caught Barkley teasing Hurts by asking “is Jalen Hurts going to smile now?” when the game was all but decided. Hurts couldn’t help but smirk at the remark. He then slapped Barkley’s chest and lauded his contributions to the team’s championship run.
“That’s you… you don’t understand the difference you made. We were right there [in Super Bowl LVII], but you like that last piece, man.”
Eagles personnel told folks all offseason that Barkley could establish himself as the NFL’s best running back this year. He did so in resounding fashion, posting the league’s ninth-ever 2,000-yard rushing campaign. Including his postseason numbers, he ran for the most yards in a single season in NFL history.
Jalen Hurts: Saquon Barkley “couldn’t be a better complement”
The Eagles’ offense is multifaceted and dangerous through the air and on the ground. But when it’s operating at peak efficiency, the rushing attack is carrying the load and setting up the pass.
Philadelphia lacked a true game-changing tailback throughout the Jalen Hurts Era until Barkley came along. On the rare occasion opponents could stymie those past options, the offense struggled. But as Super Bowl LIX showed, that’s not the case anymore. Barkley averaged a paltry 2.3 yards per carry in the game. The Eagles scored on 63.6% (7/11) of their real possessions (no kneels) anyway.
The proof is in the pudding. Hurts recognized as much when recounting Barkley’s immediate impact during a Super Bowl LIX postgame media appearance.
“[Saquon] didn’t hesitate at all in terms of getting work in… flew out to [California] right after he became part of the team… he was all in and just trying to build a bond… the energy Saquon [has brought], how he leads… it oozed through our team… it couldn’t be a better complement.”
Philadelphia’s focus now shifts to defending their Super Bowl crown. As long as Barkley remains a dominant force in his second season, the City of Brotherly Love will love the Eagles’ chances of repeating this season’s success in 2025.
