Saquon Barkley celebrated his touchdown against the New York Giants by squaring up to former teammate Dexter Lawrence – who labeled the clash with the Philadelphia Eagles running back “war.”
Earlier this year in the NFL offseason, Barkley ended his six-year run with the Giants by sensationally leaving for their NFC East rivals in free agency. The Giants had selected the running back with the second overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, and he quickly became one of the team’s most popular players.
However, the Giants opted not to franchise tag Barkley, allowing him to hit free agency. The 27-year-old Pennsylvania native opted to controversially sign with the Eagles – and he made his return to MetLife Stadium on Sunday in Week 7.
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In a grueling first half, there weren’t many offensive plays of note before Barkley took off on a sensational 55-yard burst up the left-hand sideline. After being ushered out of bounds, Barkley simply stared down the Giants fans given they had been vehemently booing him throughout the opening stages.
Barkley then powered into the end zone for a three-yard rushing touchdown. He celebrated by helping Lawrence to his feet only to shove his helmet into the dominant defensive tackle’s face before walking away.
Lawrence was selected by the Giants with the No. 17 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. While he played on the other side of the ball, Lawrence played alongside Barkley for Big Blue for five seasons, helping the Giants reach the playoffs in the 2022 NFL season.
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Saquon Barkley impressed early despite the boos at MetLife Stadium (
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However, the teammates-turned-enemies have clashed for the first time on the field. Barkley was heavily booed on his return to MetLife Stadium, and Lawrence was ultimately unsurprised by his reception.
“Sunday is war,” Dexter Lawrence said. “He knows that.”
Lawrence claimed Barkley undoubtedly helped the franchise during his time in the Big Apple but also suggested a negative reaction could be expected given the hardened fanbase. He added: “No telling [what they’ll do]. Honestly, I think he did a lot of good for this organization, but we’ve got some tough fans and they’re going to bring him in however they feel is right by them.”
If the Week 7 matchup between the two NFC East rivals is a war, Barkley’s Eagles are winning the battle early. Barkley has nine carries for 75 yards and a touchdown as the 3-2 Eagles lead 14-0 midway through the second quarter following Jalen Hurts‘ 41-yard touchdown pass to AJ Brown on fourth down.
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