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Barry Sanders: Saquon Barkley, Eagles OL Should Split 2025 NFL MVP Award Honors

Timothy Rapp@@TRappaRTX.com LogoFeatured Columnist IVJanuary 7, 2025

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JANUARY 05: Saquon Barkley #26 of the Philadelphia Eagles looks on during warms up prior to the game against the New York Giants at Lincoln Financial Field on January 05, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
Mitchell Leff/Getty Images

NFL Hall of Famer Barry Sanders believes the 2024 MVP should go to Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley and his offensive line.

Barry Sanders @BarrySanders

.<a href="https://twitter.com/PatMcAfeeShow?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PatMcAfeeShow</a> is dead right. We rushed for 2053 yards in 1997 and they split the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MVP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MVP</a> between Brett and I. I hope that do that for <a href="https://twitter.com/saquon?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@saquon</a> and his line.

Barkley, 27, became just the ninth player in NFL history to exceed 2,000 rushing yards in a season, finishing with 2,005 yards (which he did in 16 games after sitting out the team's meaningless regular-season finale against his former team, the New York Giants). He added 33 receptions for 278 yards and scored 15 total touchdowns.

The MVP has basically become a quarterback award and Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen and Joe Burrow all had fantastic seasons, so Sanders' dream of Barkley and his offensive line receiving the distinction is unlikely to happen. But there's no doubt that Barkley had a special 2024 campaign.