It’s been a big day for Saquon Barkley.
The running back who became a star at Pennsylvania’s Whitehall High School, then Penn State, agreed to a deal that will send him back to PA to play for the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Eagles have long been rivals with Barkley’s old team, the New York Giants. So, naturally, this news upset some Giant fans and one former player in particular.
“He’s dead to us, now,” Tiki Barber said on New York’s WFAN radio station. “He’s dead to us. You’re dead to us, Saquon. Good luck. You’re dead to me.”
"You're dead to us"
Tiki reacts to Saquon Barkley reportedly signing with the hated Eagles 😮 pic.twitter.com/fU3hYZaQkV
— WFAN Sports Radio (@WFAN660) March 11, 2024
Barber chuckled while saying these lines. So it’s not clear based on the 17-second clip how much malice Barber intended.
But his words shouldn’t be a surprise. Barber let his thoughts on the possibility of Barkley going to the rivals known the previous week.
.@TikiBarber has a warning for Saquon Barkley after rumors swirl of interest in playing for the Philadelphia Eagles pic.twitter.com/ZJVs7XIJNF
— WFAN Sports Radio (@WFAN660) March 7, 2024
“The fact that Saquon would even contemplate going to play for that team in Philadelphia,” Barber said on WFAN last week, “is insulting to his Giant history and Giant legacy.
Barber went onto say that he understood Barkley could well be moving on, but said he should go to another team and mentioned the Ravens, Texans and Chargers as destinations.
To Barber’s chagrin, Barkley picked the Eagles, and Barkley had some words to say after finding out how Barber reacted to the transaction.
“@TikiBarber lol yup you’re the prime example of loyalty to a team.. I got the deal I wanted, secured more gm which wasn’t given to me before… so if fans are gonna hate me for that so be it! But I never turned my back on my teammates and always had theirs.”
@TikiBarber lol yup you’re the prime example of loyalty to a team.. I got the deal I wanted, secured more gm which wasn’t given to me before… so if fans are gonna hate me for that so be it! But I never turned my back on my teammates and always had theirs https://t.co/6aKgJquD0F
— Saquon Barkley (@saquon) March 11, 2024
Saquon Barkley wasn’t finished.
“You been a hater since I got to New York … and all the “Dead to me” talk don’t smile in my face when you see me.”
@TikiBarber you been a hater since I got to New York … and all the “Dead to me” talk don’t smile in my face when you see me
— Saquon Barkley (@saquon) March 11, 2024
