Saquon Barkley surpasses 2,000 yards passing mark as Eagles clinch NFC East

PHILADELPHIA – Eagles running back Saquon Barkley on Sunday became just the ninth player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in a single season.

The success came in the fourth quarter of a 41-7 victory over the Dallas Cowboys, which secured the Eagles the NFC East Division title.

The coaching staff decided to keep Barkley in the game in the fourth quarter, even though Philadelphia was well ahead. He was passed the ball on five straight plays, the last being a 23-yard dash down the left side that took him over 2,000 yards.

Barkley trotted to the sideline and received a pat on the head from lineman Mekhi Becton and a hug from offensive coordinator Kellen Moore. Coach Nick Sirianni then called a timeout and allowed the rest of his teammates to gather around Barkley and congratulate him as fans chanted “MVP.”

Barkley was replaced in the lineup by Kenneth Gainwell. He finished with 167 yards on 31 carries. He is now just 101 yards away from breaking Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record (2,105 yards). It’s questionable whether Barkley will have a chance to chase Dickerson in the regular-season finale against the New York Giants, as the Eagles have clinched the NFC East and the chances of securing the No. 1 seed are still slim.

This game was also Barkley’s 11th with 100 rush yards this season, the most by a player in his first season with a team in NFL history.