Barkley Plays Nine Snaps for Eagles in Loss to Cowboys

Saquon Barkley returned to the field for the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday night, playing a total of nine snaps in a 38-21 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. He touched the ball on every single one of those plays, marking the first time an NFL starter has recorded at least nine offensive touches on all their snaps in the past 20 seasons.

Barkley finished the game with seven carries for 62 yards and a touchdown. He also caught two passes for 9 yards. The Eagles entered the contest with him listed as questionable due to a hamstring injury that had sidelined him for the previous two weeks. The coaching staff intended to limit his workload, but his back locked up as the game progressed, further reducing his time on the field.

Barkley’s first snap resulted in an 8-yard touchdown run during the opening offensive possession. Immediately after scoring, he rushed to the sideline to use an exercise bike. He tweaked his back on a 29-yard run in the first quarter, and the pain worsened with each subsequent play. His final snap of the night occurred in the third quarter. He spent time in the medical tent and stretched with trainers on the bench during the game.

Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni said the team prioritized Barkley’s health but felt he was ready to play. "He's tough as heck," Sirianni said. "He wanted to be out there for his teammates, probably had to slow him up. He'd be out there every play because of the person he is and the teammate he is and the toughness that he has."

Barkley said his hamstring felt "great" and he does not believe the back issue will keep him out going forward. He deferred to the training staff for an official assessment. "It's kind of the school of thought I come from: I truly love this game, and I feel like if you're able to go, sometimes you've got to push your body to the limit," Barkley said.

The Eagles are dealing with a wave of injuries at running back. Will Shipley, Tank Bigsby, and Carson Steele are on injured reserve with foot, abdomen, and shoulder problems, respectively. Dameon Pierce left the game in the fourth quarter with an undisclosed injury. This left Elijah Mitchell, who was brought up from the practice squad for the contest, to handle the remaining running duties.