Why did Giants fans boo Saquon Barkley? Eagles star gets loud reception, sees burned jersey in New York return | Sporting News United Kingdom

Whenever the Eagles and Giants meet each year, it’s always a contentious battle between two rivals. However, that animosity went up a notch this year, as former Giants running back Saquon Barkley now plays for Philadelphia.

Sunday marked Barkley’s first game at MetLife Stadium as an opponent, and the Giants faithful are well aware. Barkley told Fox that he saw fans burning his jersey in the parking lot before the game.

Saquon Barkley told FOX he saw his jersey being burned on his way into the stadium this morning. https://t.co/cygjV7eKkr

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) October 20, 2024

From the moment the game began, New York fans loudly booed Barkley to show their displeasure with the former Giant. 

Saquon Barkley steps back on the field pic.twitter.com/skaEZ1QI4C

— Justin Penik (@JustinPenik) October 20, 2024

NFL HQ: Live NFL scores | Updated NFL standings | Full NFL schedule

Why did Giants fans boo Saquon Barkley?

The Giants drafted Barkley with the No. 2 pick in the 2018 draft, and the running back spent the first six years of his career with the team. While New York only made the playoffs once in that span, Barkley was consistently one of the better players on the team.

Therefore, it must have hurt Giants fans when Barkley signed with the Eagles in the offseason. Barkley, who was born in New York but raised in Pennsylvania, went from being beloved to hated by Giants fans just by switching teams.

Why did Saquon Barkley leave the Giants?

Barkley’s departure wasn’t entirely his choice. Once he became eligible for an extension, the Giants never seemed interested in signing him long term, which included franchise-tagging him ahead of the 2023 season. The animosity between the two sides came to a head in the offseason, when the Giants let Barkley sign a deal with Philadelphia.

As documented on Hard Knocks, Giants general manager Joe Schoen told Barkley’s agent, Ed Berry, that he didn’t know how to value running backs in this free agency market.

“I’m torn, Ed, because I still think he can play, and I think he can help us,” Schoen said. “But I didn’t wanna comment on numbers. I don’t have a great idea where the market is. That’s why I’m gonna let the league tell him what it is and, hey, if you wanna come back and be a Giant, let’s try to find something that makes sense. If we’re close, then let’s have a conversation, because again, I do think he was our best offensive play.”

Schoen said the same thing to Barkley himself, but the running back made it clear that his first choice was to stay with the Giants.

“I mean, I already told you where I wanna be,” Barkley said.

In the end, the Eagles offered Barkley a deal the Giants wouldn’t match.

Saquon Barkley contract

Barkley signed a three-year, $37.75 million contract with the Eagles, and average salary of $12.58 million per year. He is the fourth-highest paid running back in the NFL by average annual value and fifth-highest paid by total value.

Saquon Barkley stats

Barkley totaled 5,693 rushing yards with the Giants, with his best season coming in 2022. That was the year when the Giants made the playoffs, ultimately losing to the Eagles in the divisional round.

Entering Sunday, Barkley had the fourth-most rushing yards in the league, but that was before he had 75 yards and a touchdown in the first half vs. New York.