Eagles face Giants in Saquon Barkley's homecoming
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Watch him run, New York. Photo: Kyle Ross/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
All eyes are on Eagles star running back Saquon Barkley this weekend as he returns to New York for the first time to face his former team.
Why it matters: Heading into the NFC East rival's territory is likely to be extra hostile, especially considering Giants fans were so betrayed by Barkley's defection they burned his jerseys.
The big picture: The Eagles have won 93 of the team's 183 games against the Giants, but this marks the first time in rivalry history that the teams had a "superstar switch teams in the prime of their careers," writes NJ Advance Media's Bob Brookover.
Zoom in: Barkley enters the game as the league's third-leading rusher.
- He's averaged more than five yards per carry and has scored five of the Eagles' 12 touchdowns this season.
The intrigue: Barkley has deep ties to both states. He was born in the Bronx and grew up a Jets fan.
- But he made a name for himself at Penn State, leading the Giants to take him second overall in the 2018 NFL Draft.
Catch up quick: The offseason drama played out before the cameras with Giants owner John Mara saying on the HBO series "Hard Knocks" that he would have a "tough time sleeping" if Barkley went to Philly.
- Barkley had said he wanted to remain a "Giant for life," but the team didn't offer him a contract, allowing the Eagles to poach him away from New York.
- After the signing, retired Giants rusher Tiki Barber declared in a radio interview that Barkley was "dead" to him.
What they're saying: Barkley has downplayed any animosity with his former team, saying he didn't want to make the game "more than what it is."
- ESPN's Sal Paolantonio told NBC Sports Philadelphia that Barkley knows the implications of the game but isn't going to say something that will "light anybody's fire."
What we're watching: A loss to the struggling Giants could renew calls for Nick Sirianni's job, especially after he taunted Birds fans following his team just squeaking by Cleveland last week.
If you go: Kickoff at 1pm. Tickets: $115+
- The game is being televised on Fox.