The Big Lead

Saquon Barkley reveals the NFC team he nearly signed with last offseason

It could've been a very different year for Barkley if he joined this struggling franchise.

By Matt Reed

Jan 26, 2025; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) celebrates his touchdown with offensive tackle Lane Johnson (65) against the Washington Commanders in the NFC Championship game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
Jan 26, 2025; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley (26) celebrates his touchdown with offensive tackle Lane Johnson (65) against the Washington Commanders in the NFC Championship game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
facebooktwitter

The New York Giants have been the brunt of a bad joke all season after allowing Saquon Barkley to walk in free agency to a division rival, however, the former Giants running back was actually close to joining another NFC team before he finalized a deal with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Barkley continues to poke fun at the Giants over their failure to keep him during the offseason, and during the lead up to Super Bowl LXI the Eagles superstar was asked about what went down before the 2024 season kicked off. He had an interesting answer about where he almost ended up.

The Eagles certainly weren't in the best position to acquire Barkley, especially with several other teams able to offer the former Penn State player higher contracts, and that nearly led him to the Chicago Bears.

It's believed that Chicago was one of two teams that reportedly offered more money for Barkley to join them, however, he chose the Eagles and is now one game away from winning a Super Bowl alongside Jalen Hurts and Co.

RELATED: Stephen A. Smith has a ludicrous NFL comparison for himself

The Bears certainly didn't have the season they would've liked with rookie quarterback Caleb Williams leading the way, but an offense with Barkley could've been quite the sight for Chicago sports fans had it gone down.

MORE TOP STORIES from The Big Lead
NBA: Aging Warriors 'desperate’ to acquire another star 
CFB/NFL: There’s yet another Manning on the way
NFL/WWE: Kofi Kngston trolls reeling Browns fans
NFL/SPORTS MEDIA: Brady calls Goodell ‘frequently’ about announcer-owner concerns

Home/NFL