Saquon Barkley responds to Giants fans booing him: 'It's a compliment'

Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley really stuck it to his former team on Sunday with a 176-yard, one-touchdown effort in his first trip back to New Jersey.

The former New York Giants rusher was greeted by booing and jeering from his former fans after the team let him walk in free agency this past offseason and he chose to sign with the in-division rival Eagles.

"It's kinda hard not to hear that," Barkley told reporters in his postgame news conference, per SNY Giants. "They're booing for a reason, it's a compliment at the end of the day."

Barkley admitted he "talked a little more crap" ahead of and during the game because he knew a lot of the guys on the other side of the ball, wanting to jaw with "some of my friends."

"We were talking, we were jawing but it was more of a respect thing," he said.

Barkley also discussed seeing New York fans burning his jersey in the MetLife Stadium parking lot as he entered the facility, calling it "crazy" and "different."

"I don't know if I've ever experienced anything like that in my life," he said. "Hopefully I don't experience that again but in that moment, I was ready for 3rd and 1 — let's just say that."

Relieved to finally get his first game against his former team out of the way, Barkley opened up a little more about wanting to move forward from the narrative of getting revenge.

"To be honest, I'm so happy that this game is over," he admitted. "I don't think I should get any more questions about the Giants."

Barkley can expect a few more questions in a couple of months because Philadelphia and New York will face off once more in Week 17 on Jan. 5. But it's possible Barkley could miss it on the bench if the Eagles are already playoff-bound by that point.