National Football League

New Eagles RB Saquon Barkley tries to convince Jason Kelce to play for one more season

Published Mar. 27, 2024 8:17 p.m. ET

Ahead of his first season with the Philadelphia Eagles, Saquon Bakley joined the "New Heights" podcast hosted by Travis and Jason Kelce and hinted at trying to lure the future Hall of Fame center out of retirement.

"I’m like a kid in a candy store," Barkley starts off with. "I’m happy, I got a fresh start. I can’t wait to meet everybody and just go out there and play ball."

"It's gonna be so fun to watch, it's gonna be so fun to be a part of, it's gonna be great," said Kelce about the upcoming season.

Barkley's response then paralleled what the rest of Philly is currently thinking: "You don't gotta watch it, you know?"

But before he could even pitch the idea to Jason, the eight-time All-Pro center who spent 13 years in the league, quickly cut him off saying "Before you ask me to come back, I'm not doing it, so don't ask."

Although Jason shot down the possibility of returning to the field, there was a moment of passing the torch as he gave Barkley a little tip.

While Jason and the city of Philadelphia have clearly embraced the newest addition to their running game, New York, on the other hand, turned the cold shoulder on the former Giant.

That included former Giants running back Tiki Barber, who fired shots at Barkley following the deal. "He's dead to us now. He's dead to us. You're dead to us, Saquon," Barber said on his WFAN radio show, "Evan and Tiki". "Good luck. You're dead to me."

Barkley had already fired a response back via X, formerly known as Twitter, but he also took a moment on the podcast to share his thoughts on the variety of responses that followed him joining a division rival.

When it came down to making a decision, he added, "Knowing you were at a place for six years that had a lot of ups and downs…and history there…knowing that this story and this chapter has come to an end, it definitely sucks but unfortunately, its a business. I'm happy…and I had the opportunity to make a decision where I could further my legacy and put my family in a better situation."