The Eagles’ RB missed most of the second quarter on Sunday, but ultimately returned after halftime to finish the game.
In the first half against the Steelers, Eagles’ RB Saquon Barkley took a helmet to the thigh in a hit that had him land on his shoulder. It appeared at the time like the hit resulted in him being checked out in the blue medical tent, but Barkley confirmed post-game that it wasn’t due to the hit and was just a minor thing he was dealing with.
Saquon Barkley said he was “dealing with a little something,” which is why he missed extended time during the game.
“I’m not going to go too much into that, but the guys stepped up big, Kenny was able to make some big plays for us and I was able to tough it out.” #Eagles
— EJ Smith (@EJSmith94) December 16, 2024
Despite returning to the sideline with his helmet, the running back didn’t get back in the game before halftime. Barkley was seen stretching and working on his right leg as Kenny Gainwell took his snaps through the rest of the second quarter.
Ultimately, Barkley was able to return after halftime, but Gainwell continued to share a bit of the load. Before whatever sidelined him, Barkley had seven carries for 31 yards, and he finished the game with 19 carries for 65 yards, plus two catches for another nine yards.
The Eagles were able to pull off their 10th consecutive win against the Steelers, and Barkley said he’s already looking toward next week — hopefully, he’ll be rested and healthy for their Week 16 game against the Commanders for a chance to win the NFC East.
