What Eagles' Saquon Barkley previously thought of Nick Sirianni

It turns out that Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley wasn't always the biggest fan of head coach Nick Sirianni.

"Going against him the last couple years, you see it," Barkley said about Sirianni's personality during a recent conversation with EJ Smith of the Philadelphia Inquirer. "From the outside looking in, you’re like, 'Damn, I can’t stand that guy,' but when you get to meet him, it all makes sense. It’s authentic. It’s who he is."

Barkley featured for the New York Giants across Sirianni's first three seasons with Philadelphia and watched from afar as the coach guided the Eagles to Super Bowl LVII in February 2023.

The 27-year-old played in just two playoff games with the Giants from 2018 through this past January, but he's now hoping to help the Eagles bounce back from the collapse they suffered late last season.

Barkley signed a three-year, $37.75M contract that could be worth up to $46.75M with $26M fully guaranteed to join Philadelphia in March.

As for Sirianni's ultra-competitive nature, he reportedly upset team owner Jeffrey Lurie when he taunted Kansas City Chiefs fans after a "Monday Night Football" win in November of last year. Sirianni also built a reputation for having arguments with players and coaches on the sidelines during games.

It's believed that Lurie could target former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick as a replacement for Sirianni if the Eagles disappoint for a second straight year.

Barkley staying healthy through his first season with the club could prevent such discussions from taking place. He has a concerning injury history and missed three games during the 2023 campaign because of an ankle problem.

"When I’m on the field, I’m one of the best, if not the best. I just have to stay on the field," a confident Barkley told Smith. "Knock on wood, it’s not injuries like a pulled hamstring or something like that. I tore my knee (in September 2020) and I had two or three high ankle sprains that sat me out."

As of Monday afternoon, DraftKings Sportsbook listed Barkley seventh among the betting favorites at +1600 odds to win the Offensive Player of the Year Award for the upcoming season. If he plays at such a level and stays in the lineup through January, the Eagles could enter the next postseason tournament as the NFC's No. 1 seed.