Philadelphia Eagles Rival Shows Love to Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley

Newsweek

6 days ago

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Jameis Winston might be a member of the New York Giants, but the NFC East quarterback hasn't inherited any bad blood towards the Philadelphia Eagles' star combination of Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley.
In fact, Winston seemingly enjoyed their success last season.
"I'm grateful that Saquon is getting his flowers and he is showing the world what type of dynamic back he is, not just in between the trenches, but outside as well, catching the ball," Winston recently said on 'The Pivot.'
"Him and Jalen, man, are what the league never wanted to see," he added.
'(Saquon) & Jalen are what the league never wanted to see' - Jameis Winston on the @Eagles' stars.
Both @saquon & @JalenHurts have been doubted, but @Jaboowins said they have defied the odds. Saquon had a team that didn't believe in him, & even with a Super Bowl MVP Hurts… pic.twitter.com/4HhrYqXWLc — Ryan Clark (@Realrclark25) July 31, 2025
Barkley turned out to be one of the most dominant players in all of football during his first season with the Eagles. While he's been a force since entering the NFL as the second-overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, Barkley had a ceiling he hadn't reached with the New York Giants.
With a strong offensive front out in Philly, Barkley nearly snatched the NFL's all-time single season rushing record. And while many believe that Jalen Hurts' success has just been a beneficiary of Barkley's dominance, Winston had flowers for Jalen, too.
Jalen Hurts #1 and Saquon Barkley #26 of the Philadelphia Eagles react after defeating the Los Angeles Rams 28-22 in the NFC Divisional Playoff at Lincoln Financial Field on January 19, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
Jalen Hurts #1 and Saquon Barkley #26 of the Philadelphia Eagles react after defeating the Los Angeles Rams 28-22 in the NFC Divisional Playoff at Lincoln Financial Field on January 19, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. More"Jalen is poised," the veteran quarterback added. "He's gonna get, like, the simple stuff. He's gonna get five yards here, eight yards there, nine yards there, three yards there, and then, boom, he'll [throw a bomb]. They said we were never able to play like that from a quarterback position."
Last season, Hurts posted his lowest passing yardage total since his sophomore season with the Eagles. Although he threw for just under 3,000 yards and only 18 touchdowns, Hurts posted his most accurate throwing season, notching a career-high 104 passer rating.
Hurts took advantage of what was given to him more often than not, and he won football games as a result. The doubt is still alive and well, but Winston surely isn't in that pack.
"Jalen is still Jalen, still getting doubted by naysayers, and all he's done is, what I said is the most important thing a quarterback can do? Win," Winston said. "Win! That's all a quarterback has to do."
As for Barkley, Winston overheard those critics as well.
"Saquon is too shifty, he doesn't run down, he doesn't run in between the tackles, he dodges tackles and stuff," Winston said. "They were like, 'Oh, you're not going to be a player, a finesse back isn't gonna be able to make it like that.' And they are out beating the odds. Both of them."
Barkley appeared in 16 games last season. He led the NFL with 345 carries, which resulted in a 2,005-yard season. He scored 13 touchdowns on the ground and caught two more in the air. In total, Barkley led the NFL with 2,283 scrimmage yards and 15 touchdowns. He was nearly named the league's MVP.
As for Hurts, he went from having a quietly productive regular season to breaking out in the playoffs. The Eagles' quarterback completed 71 percent of his passes for 726 yards and five touchdowns. He was named the Super Bowl LIX MVP, as Philadelphia capped off a successful season.
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