‘Saquon Barkley would’ve had seven yards against our defense’: Barkley’s top-five all-time comments spark debate
The All-Pro running back made his claim about the 2024 Eagles on the “Exciting Mics” podcast. Here’s how some in the national media reacted.
Saquon Barkley made a bold claim while appearing on the Exciting Mics podcast last week with Cooper DeJean and Reed Blankenship. Coming off an impressive season that saw the Eagles running back rush for more than 2,000 yards, earn offensive player of the year honors, and become a Super Bowl champion, Barkley was confident when discussing his team’s success.
“I firmly believe when you look at our team that we had last year — and I know we’re not looking too far into the past, but our team last year — I think we’re a top-five team of all time,” Barkley said. “We started off 2-2 and we lost to Washington, Jalen [Hurts] got hurt that game. But if you really look at this season, outside the first four games, it was belt to [expletive]. From how dominant you guys were on defense and how dominant we were on offense and special teams. People don’t realize how great of a team that actually was.”
Barkley’s comments faced a lot of scrutiny in the national media. Here’s what they had to say …
‘Saquon would’ve had seven yards against our [Tampa Bay] defense.’
Former NFL receiver Keyshawn Johnson didn’t take Barkley’s comments lightly. On the FS1 show Speak, Johnson disagreed with the running back.
“In all honesty, buddy, nah, not quite,” Johnson said. “I understand that they won the Super Bowl and that he had 2,000 yards and was getting ready to break the record and all sorts of things and they sat him down. But, no. They’re not one of the top five teams in the history of the National Football League.”
When Barkley discussed the top five teams of all time, he listed the 2000 Baltimore Ravens, the 1972 Miami Dolphins, the 1985 Chicago Bears, and either one of the Kansas City Chiefs or New England Patriots’ dynasties.
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“The Miami Dolphins were undefeated, right?” Johnson said. “You’ve got to clearly say that they were the number one team ever in the history of the league because they’re the only ones to go wire for wire and do it all. But then when you start breaking down the ‘85 Bears, the Pittsburgh Steelers of the ’70s, and then you come into this era of when I was playing and you start looking at the Baltimore Ravens, the Dallas Cowboys, the San Francisco 49ers. And lord, please, don’t tell me about the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Saquon Barkley would’ve had seven yards against our defense.”
Johnson played 11 NFL seasons with the New York Jets, Dallas Cowboys, Carolina Panthers, and Buccaneers — winning his only Super Bowl title with Tampa in January 2003.
“They’re not one of the 10 best teams ever.”
On Fox Sports’ First Things First, commentator Nick Wright listed his top five teams of all time — leaving out the 2024 Eagles. The list included the 1972 Dolphins, ‘78 Steelers, ‘84 49ers, ‘85 Bears, and the ‘92 Cowboys.
“As far as single seasons go, they’re not one of the 10 best teams ever,” Wright said. “I just don’t think there is a fair argument that of all the single seasons we’ve seen in NFL history, one of the five best was the one we just saw from Philadelphia.”
“It was a top-five Super Bowl performance.”
Although many members of the media don’t believe the 2024 Eagles are a top-five team all-time, Good Morning Football’s Kyle Brandt does believe they put on one of the best Super Bowl performances ever in their 40-22 whooping of the two-time defending champions.
“I would put it this way, if you open yourself to saying we’re a top-five all-time team, you’re going to be subject to a lot of scrutiny,” Brandt said. “I don’t know if I’m comfortable saying a top-five team in NFL history lost to the Kirk Cousins Falcons. That’s not a great look, for one. And they did lose to the Kirk Cousins Falcons, look it up.
“I would say this to Saquon. I think it was a top-five Super Bowl performance, by that team, of all time, considering the opponent that they played was trying to go for a three-peat … and they blew them off the field. It may even be the greatest Super Bowl performance by a team of all time, that’s where we’re at.”