Barkley Is the 2025 AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year. His Eye Is On the Bigger Prize.
Even though the 2025 NFL Honors Awards were in New Orleans on Thursday night — the same city where the Eagles are currently staying — Saquon Barkley never planned on attending lost amidst all of the incredibly well dressed people on the red carpet. Part of that monumental decision derives from the fact that the 2024–2025 Philadelphia Eagles season is still going on. Even the thirty-five votes that put Barkley over the top with the best season ever by a running back with just over 2,000 yards wasn’t enough to distract the Eagles All-Star from keep his attention on the Kansas City Chiefs. Barkley was not in attendance to win the 2024-2025 Offensive Player of the Year but did record a video of his acceptance speech.
For Barkley — the sparkling outline of that golden trophy is still not the one he’s looking for. Many may have had doubts about whether a resurgence of Nick Sirianni’s collapsed 2023 Eagles could return to football’s biggest stage when they landed Barkley for $37.75 Million last March. All except for the Eagles and Saquon Barkley — who could have gone anywhere as the biggest free agent running back in 2024 — but chose Philadelphia because he could clearly envision this moment. He knows that neither an AP Offensive Player of the Year Trophy nor a George Halas NFC Championship Trophy are enough for this group of Eagles.
Allen to be Inducted.
One other Eagle would come away with honors on this night. Former Eagles cornerback Eric Allen will be among the class inducted into the 2025 NFL Hall of Fame. During the late 1980s and early 1990s — you didn’t want to face the Eagles defense. And you certainly didn’t want to be a receiver against them. If you were fortunate enough to rarely shake the lockdown coverage of Eric Allen, then you would pulverized by thunderous, jawbreaking hits from Eagles Safeties Wes Hopkins and Andre Waters. If you went across the middle of the field, you wouldn’t run that route twice. If you ran the ball into the second level, then you’d have a earth-shattering, eardrum ringing hit coming. Your choice.
Eric Allen was taken by NFL talent guru Buddy Ryan’s radar in the second round of the 1988 NFL Draft. Much like Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean — he made an almost instant impact. In seven seasons with the Eagles — Allen was First-Team All-Pro in 1989, 2nd Team All-Pro in 1991 and 1993, a six-time Pro Bowler, and he also earned honors by the Pro Football Writers Association All-Rookie Team in 1988. He was also a member of the Eagles 75th Anniversary Team and is a member of the Eagles Hall of Fame.
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