Giants owner John Mara 'hated' seeing Saquon Barkley leave team to sign with Eagles
Speaking to reporters at the annual NFL owners meetings in Orlando, Fla., Giants owner John Mara made it clear that he wasn’t happy to see running back Saquon Barkley leave town, especially for the division rival Philadelphia Eagles.
Mara said, via SNY NFL Insider Connor Hughes, that he “hated” seeing Barkley leave the team, and texted the back to tell him it made him “sick” that he wasn’t able to return.
Mara also said he was “hoping” the Giants would find a way to keep Barkley on the team, and that he told general manager Joe Schoen he “wouldn’t be thrilled” if Barkley left for another team in the NFC East, as he ended up doing.
Barkley signed a three-year, $37.75 million contract with the Eagles on the first day of free agency, ending a six-year run with the Giants, the team that drafted him second overall in the 2018 NFL Draft.
“It’s definitely a little different,” Barkley said at his Eagles introductory news conference. “But seeing my daughter put on the Eagle stuff, she’s seen we’ve been on the worse side of the rivalry, I guess you could say the past couple of years.
“When it came to my attention that they were a team interested in me I definitely got excited about it. Watching from afar everything that they’re about, the culture, the fans, definitely got excited about it. I’m happy to be a part of this and ready to go.”
Barkley also admitted then that he did have some regrets about how he handled things on the way out of New York.
"Once I announced it everything kind of got hectic," said Barkley. "I don't think I handled it the right way, I think I could've given a proper goodbye.
"To the Giants fans who were hurt by me leaving I have nothing but respect for them. For the last six years they've been great to me and my family and created so many memories, I am forever grateful and thankful for them."
