Saquon Barkley found the end zone three times for his Philadelphia Eagles, as they walloped the Washington Commanders in the NFC Championship to cement their spot in Super Bowl LIX.
But it was the last touchdown scored for Philadelphia that had Barkley jumping and screaming for joy, and there’s a big reason why.
Will Shipley, the rookie out of Clemson, is the third string running back for the Eagles. With Barkley getting the lion’s share, and veteran Kenneth Gainwell spelling him for snaps throughout the season, Shipley has mainly played special teams while getting some time in blowouts.
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Eagles running back Will Shipley reacts during the game against the Carolina Panthers on Dec. 8, 2024, at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. (Kyle Ross/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Well, a blowout win is what occurred at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday, and Shipley was given that moment where he could pad the stats a bit. But what transpired was a career first for the young running back, as he scored his first-ever NFL touchdown.
And cameras on the FOX broadcast caught Barkley’s reaction, which was simply heartwarming.
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He went ballistic on the sideline, jumping up and down and screaming as Shipley celebrated on the field. And what was even more impressive than the two-yard score was Shipley’s 57-yard dash down the field that put the Eagles in the red zone once again.
Shipley had just 82 yards on 30 attempts during the regular season, picking up two first downs in the process. He played 58% of special teams snaps and only 6% on offense.
Philadelphia Eagles running back Will Shipley during the Los Angeles Rams game on Nov. 24, 2024, at Sofi Stadium in Inglewood, California. (Jevone Moore/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Barkley’s reaction, though, shows just how much of a team player he is, as he was hyped for his running backs room partner to get his time to shine on the playoff stage.
This isn’t anything new for Barkley in his first year with the Eagles either, as he famously told head coach Nick Sirianni to allow the backups to get their time on the field against his former New York Giants despite being just 13 rushing yards away from a career-high.
“It’s all good,” he told Sirianni. “I’m good. I promise. I’d rather see the young boys eat.”
Barkley would later smash that record anyway, ripping off a whopping 255 yards against the Los Angeles Rams on Nov. 24, 2024, which was the ninth-highest rushing yardage in a single game in NFL history.
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Everybody ate for the Eagles in this divisional demolition, and even though he wasn’t on the field, Barkley was loving every second of his teammates putting in work to cap a conference title that sends them to the “Big Game” in the “Big Easy.”
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