Pittsburgh Steelers run back Najee Harris was baffled by Saquon Barkley’s backhand block during the Philadelphia Eagles’ Week 9 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
“It was crazy,” Harris said. “That was the play of the year. It was wild. To see a guy catch the ball in space … jump over somebody backwards … I’ll never try that, but you know, just having that kind of athleticism is freaky I have always been a fan of Saquon, but I’m not trying to.
Barkley’s play came in the second quarter with the Eagles leading 7-0. Jalen Hurts hit him on a pass in the flats on 3rd-and-6 and he made the first Jacksonville defender miss in open space before making another tackle on a spin move before winning the first down and succeeding jump over another Jaguar. player before he was taken down.
SAQUON BARKLEY IS OUT OF THIS WORLD.
: #JAXvsPHI on CBS/Paramount+
: pic.twitter.com/UtCENDw6no— NFL (@NFL) November 3, 2024
Philadelphia went on to win by a score of 28-23, as Barkley finished the day with 159 rushing yards and a touchdown on 27 carries while contributing 40 yards and a score in the receiving game on three catches.
Barkley has been a slam-dunk addition for the Eagles, who signed him to a three-year deal worth $37.5 million in free agency this past offseason after their division rival, the New York Giants, opted not to retain the star.
He is second to Derrick Henry of the Baltimore Ravens in rushing yards on the year with 925 while being a driving force against Philadelphia’s exceptional start to the year with a 6-2 record.
Harris has excelled in his own right, posting 592 yards on the ground with two touchdowns over 136 attempts. He is ready to hit the open market after the current campaign ends after the Steelers declined his fifth-year optionwhich is a decision the team may soon regret given how crucial the 26-year-old has been to their success.
