Star running back Saquon Barkley didn’t have fond feelings toward Nick Sirianni before joining the Philadelphia Eagles.
“I couldn’t stand that motherf–ker,” the three-time Pro Bowler told reporters Wednesday.
Barkley’s opinion evolved once he worked directly with Sirianni. He praised the coach’s attention to detail, which he only saw upon signing in Philly.
This isn’t the first time the 2024 All-Pro revealed the antipathy he once held toward Sirianni.
They were on opposite sides of an NFC East rivalry when Barkley played for the New York Giants. More than that, something about the coach just rankled him.
“Going against him the last couple years, you see it,” he once told the Philadelphia Inquirer’s EJ Smith. “From the outside looking in, you’re like, ‘Damn, I can’t stand that guy,’ but when you get to meet him, it all makes sense. It’s authentic. It’s who he is.”
Either Sirianni made an impressive sales pitch or Barkley put those feelings aside when he bolted the Giants for the Eagles last offseason. It’s not as though he got the full Nick Sirianni experience during the free agency negotiating period.
The decision couldn’t have worked out any better as he ran for 2,005 yards and won a Super Bowl.
Barkley’s performance in 2025 has dipped a bit, while the criticism toward Sirianni is as loud as ever despite last year’s success. Still, it sounds like the veteran ball-carrier is firmly behind his coach.