In Philadelphia, Saquon Barkley, the latest addition to the Eagles as a running back, made it clear that he had no prior discussions with the Philadelphia Eagles before the official start of the free agency’s legal tampering period. He clarified the situation with a smile at the NovaCare Complex on Thursday. Barkley explained that his college coach, James Franklin, might have misunderstood the situation. According to Barkley, Franklin’s intention was to promote Penn State, noting the strong connection between Penn State fans and the Eagles. This information, Barkley pointed out, came from his agent.
The NFL is currently investigating claims that the Eagles had contacted Barkley improperly before the designated period for legal negotiations began. A spokesperson for the Eagles has refuted these allegations. James Franklin, who coached Barkley at Penn State, mentioned that one of the reasons Barkley chose the Eagles was because of the team’s proximity to his home. This would allow him to play close to State College once again. Franklin highlighted the strong bond he shares with Barkley, which has persisted since Barkley’s departure from Penn State in 2017 to join the NFL.
During a detailed response about Barkley’s move to Philadelphia, Franklin suggested that there might have been communication between Barkley and the Eagles before the allowed time. He noted that one of the first things Eagles general manager Howie Roseman mentioned to Barkley over the phone was the significance of playing in Philadelphia, not just for the Eagles but also for the connection with Penn State and its fan base.
Barkley himself was excited about the opportunity to play near his hometown, a chance too good to ignore. When he inquired about the distance from his hometown of Coplay to Philadelphia, his mother informed him it was just a 50-minute drive. Barkley expressed his happiness about returning close to home and joining a great team. He was eager to move past the business aspects of the last two years, which included discussions about being tagged or contract negotiations. With those matters settled, Barkley looked forward to focusing on playing football and winning games.
Regarding the tampering allegations, Barkley has decided to let the Eagles address the issue.