Saquon Barkley's injury history, and the highs and lows for NY Giants' star-crossed player
TEMPE, Ariz. - Saquon Barkley sat on the bench inside State Farm Stadium after being helped off the field by the training staff in the waning moments of the New York Giants' thrilling 31-28 comeback victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday afternoon.
The star running back just had his right ankle rolled up on in a pile as the Giants attempted to drain the clock and set up Graham Gano for the game-winning field goal, which he ended up putting through the goalposts with 19 seconds left to secure the franchise's biggest rally to win since 1949.
Yet there was Barkley, a picture of mixed emotions as he flung his helmet to the ground. He deserved to be on the field closing this one out, not on the sideline trying to endure the uncertainty and anguish that overwhelmed him.
From exhilaration to frustration, anger and pain for Barkley in a matter of eight seconds. He had his best run in quite some time, spinning away from the middle of the line and breaking five tackles on the left side, a powerful display of everything he can be for a 16-yard gain.
Two plays later, an Arizona defender fell on his ankle, and his day was over.
Barkley received promising news from the MRI and further testing on his ankle Monday, relatively speaking, as the scans showed he had suffered a low ankle sprain, two individuals with knowledge of the situation told NorthJersey.com.
The anticipated recovery time was expected to leave Barkley week-to-week, so in addition to missing Thursday night's game against Christian McCaffrey and the 49ers in Santa Clara, Calif., his availability for the Oct. 2 game at home against the Seattle Seahawks on "Monday Night Football" could also be in jeopardy.
But in meeting with reporters Tuesday morning, Giants coach Brian Daboll said Barkley is making "considerable progress," and he would not be so quick to rule him out for the game against the 49ers just yet.
"He's a lot better than maybe I thought he would be or some others thought he would be today," Daboll said.
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Gamesmanship from Daboll? Maybe.
Showing faith in Barkley that they believe in his ability to return sooner than anticipated? More likely.
All of this, of course, depends on how quickly Barkley can heal and get back to where he needs to be for the Giants. This is just another moment in a series of highs and lows Barkley has experienced since being selected second overall in the 2018 NFL Draft out of Penn State.
"Obviously, he's disappointed and I feel for him on that," Giants quarterback Daniel Jones said of Barkley. "But he's going to work hard to get back. Yeah, he’ll be back."
Here's a look at the ups and downs for a player whose talent has made him a star-crossed Superman as a Giant:
Offensive Rookie of the Year
Barkley burst onto the scene in 2018 in tandem with star receiver Odell Beckham Jr., and he wound up winning the league's Offensive Rookie of the Year award, beating out the perceived front runner, quarterback Baker Mayfield. He had a 68-yard touchdown run in his debut in a loss to the Jaguars and never looked back, finishing with 1,307 rushing yards and 15 total touchdowns. He also set an NFL record for receptions by a rookie running back (91), matching Beckham's team record.
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Pro Bowl honors
Barkley has been one of the most popular and respected players in the league since his arrival. He has made the Pro Bowl twice and is considered one of the most exciting playmakers in the NFL.
Worst week of his career
The Giants opened the 2020 season at home against the Pittsburgh Steelers and Barkley came under criticism for his performance in pass protection. Former Giants great Tiki Barber was at the front of the line, and a fire was lit for Barkley. Unfortunately, the following week in Chicago, Barkley ended up tearing his ACL and missed the remainder of the season.
Bad injury luck
Barkley suffered a severely sprained ankle in Dallas when, while running a route, he inadvertently stepped on a defender's foot. His ankle blew up the size of a grapefruit, as television replays showed.
Now, Barkley rolls his ankle running into the pile as the Giants attempted to run out the clock. Not a case of being injury prone, just really bad luck. Four of his six seasons have unfortunately been interrupted by injuries.
The comeback story
Barkley vowed to dominate last season and he was the driving force behind the Giants' strong start to Brian Daboll's first season last fall. The identity of a team that ultimately won nine games and reached the playoffs for the first time in Barkley's career set the tone in Week 1 against the Titans. It was Barkley's refusal to be stopped on a two-point conversion late in the game that proved decisive.
Playoff Saquon
In his first playoff game, Barkley had 109 total yards and two touchdowns, complementing an outstanding performance from Jones as the one-two punch gave the Giants their first victory in the postseason since Super Bowl XLVI 11 years earlier.
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Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee
One of the biggest honors in the NFL is the Walter Payton Man of the Year, and Barkley has been outstanding for the Giants in the community. He was their nominee last season.
"Being the recipient for the New York Giants and getting honored is truly amazing," Barkley said last year. "It's something that was a goal of mine when I got drafted. I want to win the whole thing. But it's not just about winning the award. It's all about the work you do within the community to try to make an impact and try to make change. I'm very fortunate. I'm very blessed to have the opportunity to play the sport that I love and live out my dream and be able to have an impact on children."
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Saquon Barkley injury history, career highs and lows with NY Giants
