The Eagles running back gave each one of his linemen a truck full of beer to thank them for supporting his record-setting season.
Saquon Barkley gave the ultimate toast to his offensive line after his historic season.
NBC Sports Philadelphia reporter
John Clark revealed in a post on social media platform X that Barkley gave each one of his linemen a truckload of beer to thank them for their work leading the way for him all season. Bud Light will sponsor the Eagles’ Super Bowl victory parade Friday.
Barkley has consistently praised his offensive line, who helped him rush for 2,504 yards including the postseason, breaking the NFL record.
Clark reported that Barkley informed “
The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon” ahead of his appearance Monday night that if he and quarterback Jalen Hurts were going to show up, the offensive line would have to come with them.
The show honored Barkley’s request. First, Fallon showed a clip of Barkley and reserve offensive lineman Nick Gates shotgunning beers in the locker room after the Eagles’ 40–22 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX. “That’s my teammate there, Nick,” said Barkley. “I think I lost that one.”
“I came in, [saw] everybody celebrating, partying. Back in my day—I did go to Penn State, so I had my party days,” he said.
Fallon then brought out the Eagles’ starting offensive line: left tackle Jordan Mailata, left guard Landon Dickerson, center Cam Jurgens, right guard Mekhi Becton, and right tackle Lane Johnson, to celebrate their win by shotgunning beers together. Only Hurts did not drink, instead choosing to shake his beer can and shower it over Dickerson.
Barkley and Hurts previously lavished their offensive line for Christmas. The two superstars gave their entire offensive line
personalized golf carts with their names and numbers printed on them. The golf carts reportedly came with a stereo system and a backup camera.
“We were all really surprised,” backup offensive lineman Jack Driscoll said
at the time, via NBC Sports Philadelphia. “We were all stoked. It’s always really nice when Jalen gives the O-line a gift but we’re not expecting anything. So for him to do that and for Saquon to be in on it as well is awesome. It was something that was really generous.”
All season long, Barkley has effusively praised his teammates, and especially his offensive line, for enabling his success. Barkley rushed for 2,005 yards, becoming just the ninth player in history to hit the 2,000 yard mark in a single season. He set the Eagles franchise record for rushing yards and total yards from scrimmage. He also set the NFL record for rushing yards in a season—including the playoffs—with 2,504 yards.
Barkley
sat out the final game of the season, depriving himself of a chance to break the league’s single season rushing record. He said at the time that one of the reasons he decided to rest was for his linemen. He said the offensive linemen wanted him to chase the record, but while his name would have been in the record books, he wouldn’t have been able to get a chance at the record without his blockers.
“It takes a lot of hard work to to be able to have the success that we’ve had this season,” Barkley said during a
media availability before the Super Bowl last week. “But it takes a team effort. You can’t do it without your team, and for me, playing running back, I can’t do without the guys up front blocking for me, tight ends. And then you can look at a lot of my long runs, you can see Devonta Smith, A.J. Brown, and those guys down there blocking for me. So, it takes a team effort. It’s the ultimate team sport, and I’m happy to be a part of it.”
The offensive line praised him right back.
“Just knowing the type of player he is, we’re not surprised,” Mailata said as the Eagles
cleaned out their locker rooms Thursday. “He’s played at high level all year. So to us, he’s just doing his job, and that’s how we see it.”
