Eagles' Saquon Barkley doubts Giants fans will direct boos at him during return to MetLife Stadium

Saquon Barkley was the 2nd wide enactment successful the 2018 NFL Draft. He finished his rookie play with the New York Giants with 1,307 rushing yards and became a instrumentality favorite.

But Barkley's representatives and the Giants beforehand bureau were not capable to scope an statement connected a declaration hold successful the offseason. Barkley entered the escaped cause marketplace for the archetypal clip successful his vocation and signed with the NFC East rival Philadelphia Eagles.

This Sunday, Barkley volition apt nary longer beryllium considered a favourite among the Giants' faithful erstwhile helium returns to MetLife Stadium. It volition beryllium the archetypal clip Barkley plays determination arsenic an Eagle.

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Philadelphia Eagles moving backmost Saquon Barkley leaves the tract aft a triumph against the Green Bay Packers Sept. 7, 2024, astatine the Neo Quimica Arena successful Sao Paulo. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)

Although Barkley volition look from the visitors' locker country and instrumentality the tract wearing an opposing team's jersey, helium does not expect boos to rainfall down connected him from Giants fans.

"I don't expect a large reaction. I don't expect to beryllium booed," Barkley said. "I look astatine it similar this: The Philadelphia Eagles and New York Football Giants astir apt played successful implicit 200 games. This rivalry was determination earlier me, and it's going to beryllium determination aft me."

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Barkley besides suggested emotions surrounding his Giants exit person mostly subsided.

"Maybe I'm naive, but I deliberation it's over. That chapter's closed," helium told reporters anterior to the Eagles' triumph implicit the Cleveland Browns successful Week 6. "I genuinely don't attraction nary more, and I'm beauteous definite fans don't attraction nary more."

New York Giants moving backmost Saquon Barkley aft a crippled Jan. 7, 2024. (Kevin R. Wexler/USA Today Network)

Before Sunday's crippled successful New Jersey kicks off, Barkley said helium volition already person visualized scoring a touchdown.

"I'm beauteous definite I'll visualize breaking a agelong touchdown run, making plays there," Barkley told ESPN. "That goes a agelong way."

While New York wide manager Joe Schoen did person conversations with Barkley and his cause during the offseason, helium appeared to halt abbreviated of formally offering the prima moving backmost a caller deal. The Giants handling of Barkley's concern was documented connected HBO's "Hard Knocks."

A clip from the programme showed Giants co-owner and CEO John Mara telling Schoen helium was "going to person a pugnacious clip sleeping if Saquon goes to Philadelphia."

New York Giants backmost Daniel Jones walks disconnected the tract aft playing against the Dallas Cowboys Sept. 26, 2024, successful East Rutherford, N.J.  (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

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Barkley antecedently confirmed that helium inactive keeps successful interaction with immoderate of his erstwhile teammates. 

"I enactment successful interaction with a batch of the guys implicit there. I was determination for six years. I got a batch of friends there," he said. "No atrocious feelings for those guys."

Giants backmost Daniel Jones said helium talks "frequently" with Barkley and admitted seeing his erstwhile teammate successful a greenish jersey was an adjustment. 

"It is simply a small different. Just utilized to being connected the tract with him, seeing him successful Giants colors," Jones said. "So, yeah, seeing him successful an Eagles azygous for the archetypal clip was a small spot antithetic for sure."

The Giants and Eagles footwear disconnected astatine 1 p.m. ET Sunday.

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