Saquon Barkley says he’ll likely retire ‘out of nowhere ... whether it’s next year or two years or four years’
The “Madden NFL 26″ cover star joined Chris Long’s “Green Light” podcast for a live taping from Geno’s — temporarily rebranded as Steakquon’s — in South Philly.
After becoming the ninth player in NFL history to rush for over 2,000 yards in a season, Eagles running back Saquon Barkley was unveiled as the cover athlete for Madden NFL 26 earlier this week. Of course, the announcement raised one major concern among fans: How will the “Madden curse” impact Barkley’s upcoming season?
According to him, it won’t.
But after recent comments on Chris Long’s Green Light podcast, a “Madden curse,” won’t be the only thing Eagles fans have to worry about. Near the end of their conversation, Long, a former Super Bowl champion with the Eagles, asked Barkley if he’ll retire while he’s still at the top of his game. And the response from the three-time Pro Bowler and reigning NFL offensive player of the year may make some fans nervous.
“I’ll probably be one of those guys that it would be out of nowhere,” Barkley said. “I’ll probably just wake up one day, whether it’s next year or two years or four years, and I’d be like, ‘It’s over.’”
Barkley is entering his eighth NFL season after he was drafted by the New York Giants with the second pick in 2018. Despite all his accolades — including winning rookie of the year, and earning a first-team All-Pro honor on his way to joining the 2,000-yard club last season — Barkley believes he’ll hang up his cleats in a similar fashion as his favorite player.
“I don’t think I will ever lose that passion,” Barkley said. “The competitive nature is always going to be there. Probably my favorite player of all time is Barry Sanders. So, probably similar to that. Maybe one day, it’ll be out of nowhere. I’ll probably be balling and just be like, ‘Yeah, call it quits.’”
Sanders had one of the most famous and unexpected retirements, stepping away from the game at 31 years old in 1999 after a 10-year career with the Detroit Lions. At the time of his retirement, Sanders was still considered one of the best running backs in the league, coming off a season where he recorded 1,491 yards, and two years removed from rushing for over 2,000 yards.
Barkley is currently 28 years old, coming off a historic season that earned him a two-year, $41.2 million contract in the offseason and made him the highest-paid running back in NFL history. But Barkley finished last year with 345 carries, something only four other running backs have done since 2010, and a career-high 378 touches. And even the most memorable ones took their toll.
While it’s unclear when the running back is actually planning to retire, his backward hurdle will forever be immortalized in Madden.