Saquon Barkley arrives for MetLife Stadium homecoming as a visitor in a Giants' world

EAST RUTHERFORD - Saquon Barkley stopped for a fist bump with the MetLife Stadium security official outside the New York Giants ' locker room, the place he called home for six years.

Other than that, Barkley - now the star running back for the Philadelphia Eagles - kept on walking.

That's how Barkley's homecoming to the Meadowlands began Sunday morning . On a day when all eyes were fixed on No. 26 in green, not to mention the blue No. 26 jerseys that may or may not still fill the stands, Barkley's focus appeared to be on the task at hand.

"I’ll be locked in and focused," Barkley promised earlier this week. "I don’t want to make it more than it (is). I’ve done that before and I didn’t like the outcome of that. It’s going to be a fun environment. It’s football. I love being a part of that, especially being a part of the history of these two teams going against each other, especially in this division. It’s a big game, and I’m excited about that."

The Giants (2-4) have yet to win at home this season, and an upset victory over the Eagles (3-2) would be a significant step toward stabilizing what has been an up and down start to Brian Daboll's third campaign as head coach.

Barkley is fourth in the NFL in rushing with 482 yards and tied for fourth with four touchdowns on the ground.

Cameras and reporters camped outside the Giants' locker room to capture the typical arrival videos of players and coaches were on high alert for the entrance of Barkley, who arrived around 9:45 a.m. and was part of an Eagles' player contingent led by quarterback Jalen Hurts.

Barkley joked with reporters in Philadelphia last week that he had never traveled the MetLife hallway beyond the Giants' locker room, and he was unsure of where the visitor's locker room would be.

There was no denying the void in the Giants' backfield without Barkley to start the season, considering he accounted for 40% of their offensive touchdowns last season with 10. The Giants have turned to fifth-round rookie Tyrone Tracy the last two weeks with leading rusher Devin Singletary sidelined with a groin injury. All Tracy has done is rush for 129 yards in the victory over Seattle, the most for a rookie with the Giants since Barkley in 2018; then he followed that up with 107 total yards and a touchdown in Sunday's loss to the Bengals.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Saquon Barkley arrives for MetLife Stadium homecoming as a visitor in a Giants' world