03 Sep Getting to Know NY Giants Running Back Saquon Barkeley
Since New York Giants star running back Saquon Barkley entered the league, he has somehow exceeded expectations, which were extremely high considering the Big Blue took him second overall in last year’s draft. Barkley’s stats and stardom has taken the league by storm in his short time in the league. In 2018 he had 261 carries, 1307 yards and 11 TDS.
Name: Saquon Barkley
Born: Feb 7, 1997 in USA (Age: 22)
Drafted 2018: 1st Round, 2nd by New York Giants
College: Penn State
Salary: Barkley’s four-year contract will be worth a total of $31.2 million. Barkley’s guaranteed contract is the second-largest ever for a running back, behind only Adrian Peterson. Barkley will receive an estimated $20.8 million of that deal in a guaranteed signing bonus.
Grew up in: New York
Favorite Running Back growing up: Curtis Martin
Following the departure of Odell Beckham Jr, people are calling you the face of the Giants franchise. You recently ranked 5th on a list of the NFL’s most marketable players. How do you handle the attention you’ve been getting? People expect me to be this, to be that. Obviously people shape a career for me, or shape what I should be. But I already have a high standard for myself. I really don’t feel pressure from no one at all.
Going into your second season, why would you say that you and your team are better this year? Confidence. I definitely feel more confident in myself and my teammates.
What do you think about your coach Pat Shurmur? Coach Shurmur is amazing. He knows the game very well. He’s very interactive with the players. He’s a leader. He’s very vocal. Having him as a coach for two years in a row is gonna help me tremendously.
Is this a playoff team? I believe that we have the talent to be a playoff team. Everybody in the NFL has the talent to be a playoff team. We just gotta find a way to have one more point than our opponent every week. I think this season could be a special season. I’m truly excited for it. I hope that Giants fans are there and supportive, and hopefully we can put on as how for them.
What’s the best advice you’ve gotten so far and from whom? The best advice that I’ve gotten from multiple people, family and friends: staying true to who you are, believe in the little things, continue to work on the little things, control what you can control.
What’s your philosophy on engaging with fans? The way I try to interact with fans is the chances I do have to interact with them, I try to be nice to them, try to take pictures, because you never know – that picture, that signed autograph could change someone’s day, could change someone’s life. It sounds crazy when you say ‘someone’s life,’ ‘someone’s year,’ but that’s the reality that we have as athletes – the impact that we’re able to have on people. I would definitely not be doing justice to people and to my family if I don’t try to do that. I want to be a person where I can have an impact on this world and on other people and it starts with stuff like that.
Heading into the Giants opener, what message would you want to give to fans? My message to Giants fans would be that it’s a long season, and we do have the pieces to be great. We have the challenge to be great. I think if you look on paper, anybody in their right mind that knows sports, that knows football, would agree with that.