While it may have looked like Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley re-injured his hamstring on a 29-yard run against the Dallas Cowboys on Monday Night Football, his 8-yard touchdown run to cap off the first drive of the game seemed to say otherwise.
Still, it was hard not to see Barkley pull up at the end of the 29-yard run as a sign he may have hurt himself again, something that seemed true when he visited the blue medical tent in the second quarter.
“Saquon Barkley was in the blue medical tent for a while,” ESPN’s Tim McManus wrote on X. “Just came out, stretching on sideline.”
Barkley missed the last two games after he injured his hamstring in the first quarter of a Week 4 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. He also missed almost all of a Week 2 win over the Tennessee Titans after suffering a stinger in the first quarter.
After Barkley’s touchdown run, he came off the field and immediately hopped on a stationary bike — where he appeared to mouth “I’m being smart” to someone off camera.
“Saquon Barkley gives it everything he’s got to get around the edge for the touchdown,” Dr. Jeff Mueller wrote on his official X account. “Jogged off the field and jumped immediately onto the bike.”
Barkley Stayed in Lineup, Rotated With Pierce
Barkley continued to play with his team through the second quarter, giving up one series to backup Dameon Pierce before returning to the field, where he was hit hard behind the line of scrimmage on an attempted screen pass.
Pierce came on to finish that series, which ended with an Eagles punt.
“Saquon Barkley clearly doesn’t look 100 percent after that first 29-yard run,” The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane wrote on his official X account on Monday. “On the sideline bouncing around trying to keep his hamstring loose.”
Saquon Barkley’s Name Pops Up in Trade Rumors
Barkley, the 2024 NFL Offensive Player of the Year, saw his name on the NFL trade rumor hotline after the Eagles lost their fourth straight game in Week 6 and after starting quarterback Jalen Hurts was ruled out for the season after blood clots were discovered in his lungs.
If Barkley were available, teams might line up to bring him in.
“I could see a few contenders doing it,” ESPN’s Ben Solak wrote on October 20. The Seahawks came to mind, as did the Packers and the Vikings. But I love the idea of GM Nick Caserio, fresh off the Marvin Harrison Jr. deal, doubling down on the offense and adding Barkley to a backfield that he has yet to solve in Houston,” Solak wrote on October 20. “The Texans are once again on pace to have a bottom-5 rushing attack, but Barkley has the talent behind the line of scrimmage to help cover for a shaky interior offensive line group. By forcing opposing defenses to play more heavy boxes by formation and by the presence of Barkley, the 2-4 Texans could pull further defensive attention away from receiver Nico Collins and field an offense really worthy of a comeback run into the playoffs.”
Saquon Barkley Injury Update: Eagles RB Visits Blue Medical Tent