Barkley Modifies Training: Eagles Prioritize RB's Health in His Prime

Saquon Barkley Prioritizes Recovery to Optimize Performance

Philadelphia Eagles star running back Saquon Barkley has adopted a more strategic approach to his training this offseason. After an intense campaign in which he broke personal rushing records, Barkley is listening to advice from coaches, mentors, and American football legends to prioritize recovery and taking care of his body.

“You have to be smarter, right? You have your moments where you come in and you grind, you push it,” Barkley said. “But most of those days it’s just mobility, conditioning, doing all the things to get your body in shape to perform at a high level. There was a lot of workload [last year], but my body feels great, so that’s the most important thing.”
Saquon Barkley

Barkley had an exceptional season in 2024, accumulating 2,504 rushing yards during the regular season and playoffs, setting a new record. In addition, he added 499 yards and five touchdowns in the postseason, contributing significantly to the Eagles’ success and the conquest of the second Lombardi trophy for the team. The Eagles’ game strategy heavily relied on Barkley, who finished the regular season with 345 carries, surpassing his previous mark of 295 set in 2022. In the playoffs, he added 91 more carries. The natural concern is how last year’s high volume of play will affect Barkley in his eighth season. The 28-year-old player has consulted his head coach, Nick Sirianni, running backs coach Jemal Singleton, and iconic figures in the sport like Marshall Faulk and Edgerrin James, who have given him similar advice.

“It wasn’t hard because everyone I trust basically told me to sit for a while,” Barkley commented after the team’s only minicamp practice last week.
Saquon Barkley

Sirianni has noted that each player on the team has a personalized training program, which considers various factors, including player feedback and the opinion of the coaching and strength staff. “We monitor everyone as we go,” Sirianni said. “We had a good workout, Saquon had a good workout and yes, I’m happy with how the offseason program has gone.” The next few weeks will also be different for Barkley. He explained that, in previous years, he tried to arrive at training camp ready for Week 1. This time, he will be mindful of not overdoing it during the team’s break and will allow camp to get him in shape for the start of the season.

So far, this approach seems to be working for Barkley.