Eagles secure Saquon Barkley with record-breaking contract extension
Super Bowl champions Philadelphia Eagles have locked in star running back Saquon Barkley with a historic two-year contract extension worth $41.2 million, multiple reports confirmed on Tuesday. The deal makes Barkley the first running back in NFL history to earn over $20 million per year.
Barkley, the reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year, capped off a record-breaking debut season with the Eagles by leading them to victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Super Bowl Sunday, which coincided with his 28th birthday on February 9. His new contract keeps him with Philadelphia through 2028 and includes $36 million guaranteed, along with an additional $15 million in incentives. According to Over The Cap, the guaranteed sum is the highest ever for a running back on a deal lasting three years or less.
Previously, Barkley was earning approximately $12.6 million annually under a three-year contract he signed as a free agent last offseason. That agreement had a base value of $37.75 million, with $26 million guaranteed plus performance-based bonuses.
A three-time Pro Bowl selection and 2024 first-team All-Pro, Barkley dominated the league last season with 345 carries, amassing 2,005 rushing yards and averaging 125.3 yards per game while scoring 13 touchdowns in 16 regular-season starts. He was also a receiving threat, recording 33 catches for 278 yards and two touchdowns. His postseason performance was equally impressive, adding 91 carries for 499 yards and five touchdowns in four playoff games. His total of 2,504 rushing yards set a new single-season record, surpassing Terrell Davis.
Over his career, Barkley has established himself as one of the NFL’s premier running backs. He has rushed 1,546 times for 7,216 yards and 48 touchdowns while also tallying 321 receptions for 2,378 yards and 14 receiving scores across 90 regular-season starts. After being selected second overall by the New York Giants in the 2018 NFL Draft out of Penn State, he played six seasons in New York before joining the Eagles.
With this landmark extension, the Eagles secure a crucial offensive weapon as they look to build on their Super Bowl-winning success.
SportsLigue