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Saquon Barkley's Emotional Reunion with Giants Owners Revealed
9 Oct
Summary
- Giants co-owner John Mara declines Saquon Barkley's trade request in summer 2023
- Barkley frustrated by unsuccessful contract extension negotiations
- Giants reluctant to trade Barkley as he was key to their 2022 playoff run
In the summer of 2023, star running back Saquon Barkley reached out to New York Giants co-owner John Mara with a trade request, frustrated by months of unsuccessful contract extension negotiations. However, Mara firmly declined Barkley's request, stating "That makes no sense for us."
The Giants were less than two weeks away from the start of training camp, and Barkley had been the engine behind their surprising playoff run in 2022. Trading their best playmaker for draft picks that couldn't be used until the next offseason would have been illogical, as the Giants believed they were poised to build on their previous season's success.
Earlier in the offseason, Barkley had also broached going public with a trade request in a conversation with general manager Joe Schoen, who explained the challenges of executing a trade for a player of Barkley's caliber, regardless of ownership's stance. Schoen told Barkley, "I wouldn't give you away."
Ultimately, the Giants chose to let Barkley hit the free-agent market, where he signed with the Philadelphia Eagles in March 2023. Barkley went on to win the Super Bowl and the Offensive Player of the Year award with the Eagles last season.
The documentary "Saquon," released on Prime Video, provides a rare behind-the-scenes look at the emotions involved in the business side of the NFL, offering further confirmation of the Giants' approach to player personnel decisions.
