The NFL is investigating the Philadelphia Eagles for illegal tampering with running back Saquon Barkley.
They’re looking to see if they contacted Barkley before the legal tampering period started on Monday. ESPN’s Dan Graziano was first with the report.
Penn State head coach James Franklin told reporters that the Eagles had direct contact with Barkley before they were allowed to and when Barkley was asked about it, he confirmed that the Eagles didn’t do anything wrong.
“Coach Franklin, I think, kind of misinterpreted it,” Barkley said, via ProFootballTalk. “The truth was that the sales pitch was Penn State and how many Penn State fans are Eagles fans. But that through my agent, my agent told me that.”
Barkley signed a three-year $37.75 million contract with the Eagles that includes $26 million guaranteed. He decided to sign with one of the New York Giants‘ biggest rivals after spending the first six seasons of his career in Big Blue.
He finished the 2023 season with 247 carries for 962 yards and six touchdowns. It was his second-straight season of rushing for at least 900 yards.
He’ll now get to go against his former team twice a year.