With just one game to go in the regular season, we're on all-time record watch for Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley.
In his first year with the Eagles, Barkley enters Week 18 just 101 yards shy of Eric Dickerson's all-time single-season rushing record of 2,105 yards which has stood since 1984.
The Eagles, though, don't have much to play for this coming week against the New York Giants. They have locked up the no. 2 seed and the NFC East, therefore the team can afford to rest some starters if they elected to do so.
Of course, that decision comes down to head coach Nick Sirianni, who appeared on WIP Radio Tuesday, and he was asked about the status of Barkley playing in order to break the record.
“I’ll talk to our staff, I’ll talk to the players, I’ll talk to Howie , I’ll talk to Mr. Lurie. I'll talk to everybody to try and make sure I’m making the best decision for the football team,” Sirianni said.
Saquon Barkley is not concerned with trying to break Eric Dickerson's single-season rushing record
Just a couple of days ago, after the Eagles' Week 17 win over the Cowboys, Barkley was asked about the record in his postgame interview.
"If it's in God's plan, then it is ... I'm not overly trying to go get it. I'm not scared of it. I would love to. But, at the end of the day, we got bigger things that we're focusing on," Barkley said.
He was asked about whether or not he wants to play and went on:
"Whether we play next week or not and rest, I'm fine with that too. I didn't sign here just to rush for 2,000 or break a record. I want to do something special, meaning something special with the team."
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As for the decision itself? Of course, it's up to his head coach, and Barkley understands that. More importantly, he supports his head coach.
"It's up to Nick, to be honest. Whatever his decision is, I'm all for it," Barkley reiterated.
In the end, Barkley is saying all of the right things, and you know what? I believe he means them. He was part of a losing organization for far too long and now, he has the opportunity to make a run at a Super Bowl.
"Breaking a record is special, but I want a banner up there," the running back affirmed.