NEW ORLEANS – A few weeks back, Jordan Mailata got a text out of the blue. The message? He could go to the office of Philadelphia Eagles chief security officer Dom DiSandro – “Big Dom” – and pick up his Rolex.
Mailata, the Eagles’ second-team All-Pro left tackle, had completely forgotten about something running back Saquon Barkley had said months earlier.
“When we first got him,” Mailata said, reflecting back to when Barkley surprisingly came to Philadelphia during free agency last March, “I guess he understood what he had in the O-line, and we understood what we had in the running back. And he told us at the start of the season – not even at the start of the season, this is in OTAs – ‘If I win the rushing title, I’m going to get you guys Rolexes.’”
Nearly a year later, Barkley, the newly anointed Offensive Player of the Year, had banked more than 2,000 rushing yards and that rushing crown … and had also reached into his bank account to pay for those promised timepieces.
“We were like, ‘Well, we forgot about that,’” Mailata beamed, “but he was a man of his word. And I guess we hadn’t known him long enough to know he was being serious, but he’s a man of his word, and he has true character.”
NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.
Such character, that Barkley had to do even more to make good on his pledge.
“Yeah, sometimes you gotta talk things into existence, right?” he said when talking about the promise he made to a unit he now calls “one of the greatest offensive lines of all time,” a group with whom he’s earned honorary membership.
“I was able to fulfill that and get those guys some watches. Big shoutout to my jeweler, Gabe. He helped me out there. But what I did learn is, you know, those are some big guys. So, you get the standard size and, you know, I got to help them out, get some extra (watchband) links.”
It’s one of the few things that hasn’t gone to plan for Barkley this season – one that will conclude Sunday, when he will play in the Super Bowl for the first time.
His talent has always been readily apparent, since he was the second player taken in the 2018 NFL draft and through the years as he piled up so many yards and highlights for Philly’s archrivals, the New York Giants. It’s the only way a running back lands a three-year contract for nearly $38 million nowadays.
Like everyone else, the Eagles knew Barkley was good (even if many couldn’t believe he was switching sides). What they didn’t know was what they were truly getting when he walked into their facility for the first time.
“I don’t know how he ended up here, that was my first reaction,” said Pro Bowl right tackle Lane Johnson. “Then having a chance to play with him is extraordinary.
“I was probably more impressed with just his character, (who) he was off the field.”
Talk to any member of the Eagles, and it quickly becomes apparent that Johnson’s sentiment is universal.
“It was pretty easy taking Saquon into the family because of the résumé that he came with,” said Mailata. “It was pretty easy to welcome him with open arms. And I think what stands out to me more than the player – and the player that you guys see – is how he is as a human being. His personality – the way he cares about a human, where he cares about his teammates on a personal level – that means a lot to us, and I think it means a lot to him.”
It does.
Barkley quickly became a leading figure inside a locker room that already had strong veteran leadership. And that meant competing in the weight room, sharing his faith and numerous rounds on the golf course.
“I believe relationships are key to having a successful team,” he said.
In this case, success meant the ninth 2,000-yard rushing season in NFL history. With 30 more Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs, Barkley will eclipse Hall of Famer Terrell Davis’ 26-year-old mark for most rushing yards in a season (2,476) when including the playoffs. His seven TD runs of at least 60 yards is a record for a season and postseason combined – the three in the playoffs another mark for a single postseason and more than any other player has in an entire career. The effort might go down as the greatest single campaign by a runner ever.
But more importantly to Barkley, who turns 28 on Super Sunday, has been the way his team has flourished, winning its second conference title in three seasons and now on the verge of capturing Philadelphia’s second Lombardi Trophy.
“I wanted to play in big games and be part of a team that had an opportunity to go compete and play in a Super Bowl,” said Barkley. “And all that happened.
“Now did I expect the accolades, and the records and the yards that come along with it? No. Did I work for that? Yeah. But the most important thing was to come here and compete for a championship and a Super Bowl.”
Even if that’s what is most important, the way he’s gone about it has been at least equally meaningful to his teammates and coaches.
“He’s a great person, and he’s personable,” defensive tackle Moro Ojomo told USA TODAY Sports. “He accepted us, and we accepted him, and it was a match made in heaven.”
Said head coach Nick Sirianni: “Yeah, it’s very obvious when you watch the tape how good of a player he is, right? But the things that he has that he brings to our football team as far as his leadership, his work ethic. He’s an awesome teammate. Those are the things that make him very special.
“And that’s pretty special that I’m saying that even more after you see him jumping over guys backwards and all that stuff.
“He’s an awesome teammate, an awesome person. I can’t say enough good things. I can spend the rest of this press conference talking about what Saquon has meant to this football team and not even talk about anything on the field.”
Even Barkley, who was a bit leery of his new coach prior to landing in Philly, can hardly believe how good the fit has been from almost every perspective.
“A year ago, I probably despised him,” he said of Sirianni, who’s had something of a polarizing reputation, particularly among outsiders. “But now our relationship has grown so much. He genuinely cares about players and that don’t get talked about enough.
“He’s an awesome person.”
No surprise to outsiders
When Barkley was in New York, one of his close friends was Hall of Famer and Giants legend Michael Strahan. He’d routinely dine with Strahan, who assumed a mentorship role as well.
Much as Strahan has hated the outcome for the lowly Giants, he also instantly foresaw Barkley’s wild success in Philadelphia.
“Saquon’s just a leader, period. He’s just that guy. Not only the leader in words, but you watch him on the field. I think to be a real leader of a team, you have to perform. You can have guys who chirp all the time in a locker room, but if they’re never playing, no one’s gonna respect that.” Strahan, now an analyst for Fox, told USA TODAY Sports.
“He backs up everything that he says. And I think because of that, guys respect him. It’s hard to go to a new team, a team in your old division that you were trained to dislike, and all of a sudden you gotta like ‘em? Gotta be weird to put that uniform on for the first time. But I’m happy he’s there. I think as a Giants fan, obviously, it’s disheartening to see him play so well in Philly – I don’t know if he woulda had that year in New York. He didn’t have the same support system around him.
“I wanna see him do so well, I wanna see him play his best. I got a chance to see that in the regular season, and I’m hoping I see that in the Super Bowl. I love Saquon. He’s the most genuine guy off the field, and a helluva player on it.”
And now he’s the Chiefs’ problem as they go for their historic Super Bowl three-peat Sunday. One of their biggest stars knows all to well that Barkley could muck up their plans.
“I’m pretty sure me and my brother knew exactly what was gonna happen in Philly when they got Saquon Barkley,” said Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce, brother of former Eagles All-Pro center Jason Kelce.
“Saquon, he’s a generational talent. And you put that with the style of offensive line that they have, and the ability they have on the perimeter, and obviously their ability at quarterback – you kinda knew that something special was gonna happen in Philly this year.”
The city loves its new star – Barkley already the recipient of some of the most thunderous roars at Lincoln Financial Field during pre-game introductions – almost as much as his new teammates do.
“I would say the team means everything to me,” said Barkley. “Just from Day 1, the way that they welcomed me with open arms. And I’m kind of the new guy, (but) I feel like I’ve been on this team for seven years.”
And if all continues to go to plan, those Super Bowl rings will fit better than the Rolexes.
“All of them were too small,” laughed Mailata, “we’ve got big hands!”
And also a big back who’s made just about everything else just right.
Time to get Super Bowl ready: Sign up for USA TODAY’s 4th and Monday newsletter for NFL news.
This post appeared first on USA TODAY
