Barkley Scores Touchdown in Nine-Snap Return for Eagles

Saquon Barkley returned to the Eagles lineup on Monday night, rushing for 62 yards and a touchdown on just nine offensive snaps in a 38-21 defeat against the Dallas Cowboys.

The running back was listed as questionable before the game following a hamstring injury that kept him out for the previous two weeks. During the contest, his back locked up, causing the coaching staff to reduce his workload significantly.

Barkley touched the ball on every one of his nine snaps. He finished with seven carries for 62 yards and a score, plus two receptions for 9 yards. This makes him the first NFL starter in the last 20 seasons to play at least nine offensive snaps and record a touch on all of them.

Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni explained the decision to play Barkley was based on medical clearance and the player's readiness. "Do they feel ready to go? Do the doctors and trainers feel like he's ready to go? And we felt like that was the case today," Sirianni said.

Sirianni noted that Barkley's toughness might have pushed him to stay on the field longer. "He's tough as heck. He wanted to be out there for his teammates, probably had to slow him up," Sirianni said. The coach added that Barkley would likely have played every play due to his competitive nature.

Barkley managed his physical condition visibly throughout the night. He spent time in the medical tent and stretched with trainers on the bench. Immediately after his 8-yard touchdown run on the first possession, he went to an exercise bike on the sideline. He tweaked his back on a 29-yard run in the first quarter, which worsened as the game progressed. His final snap came in the third quarter.

The player believes the back issue will not keep him out but deferred to the training staff. "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 face a depleted running back room, with Will Shipley, Tank Bigsby, and Carson Steele on injured reserve. Dameon Pierce left the game in the fourth quarter with an undisclosed injury, leaving Elijah Mitchell to handle the remaining carries.