After their Super Bowl LIX victory last month, the Philadelphia Eagles have rewarded their star running back Saquon Barkley with a contract extension that makes him the highest-paid running back in NFL history.
A historic season = historic pay
The Eagles signed Barkley to a three-year deal after the New York Gianats released him last year and it paid off immediately. Barkley had a record-breaking season that saw him run for a career-high 2,005 yards plus 13 rushing touchdowns. His 2,005 rushing yards were a franchise record and the eighth-most in a single season by any player.
With the regular season and playoffs combined, Barkley broke Terrell Davis’ NFL record for rushing yards in a single season (including playoffs) with 2,504 rushing yards. His performance throughout the season and postseason helped lead the Eagles to Super Bowl LIX, which they won over the Kansas City Chiefs.
Now, they’re making sure he’s in Philly to stay. The team signed Barkley to a two-year, $41.2 million contract. He’s not only the league’s highest-paid running back in history, but also the first NFL running back to make $20 million+ per year. The deal includes $36 million in guaranteed money and he has the ability to earn another $15 million in incentives.
The Eagles had initially signed Barkley to a three-year, $37.75 million deal in 2024, so the fact that they’ve extended him already within the same year as his initial deal says a lot about the faith they have in the player.