For a player whose world revolves around every cut, carry, and crucial third-down, Saquon Barkley has never courted controversy. But when his name surfaced in an unlikely political context this summer, the reigning Philadelphia Eagles star found himself thrust into an arena far from the gridiron. On July 31, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order reinstating the Presidential Fitness Test and reconstituting the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition. Initial press releases and media accounts listed elite names: Nick Bosa, Tua Tagovailoa, Tony Romo, Lawrence Taylor, and apparently, Saquon Barkley.

The former New York Giants star, now as he dons the midnight green, after a year marked by fresh challenges, has one mission: to restore his reputation and help the Eagles stay atop the NFL mountain. They capped off the season with a dominant 40–22 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX, marking their second Super Bowl win in five appearances. And Barkley? He is expected to be a major part of their title defense in 2025.

By all accounts, training camp was going smoothly, his cuts were sharp, his burst looked reborn, and he was adjusting fast to Jalen Hurts‘ read-heavy system. The crowd roared every time he got to the second level. No distractions. Just football. Until his name suddenly appeared in a place he didn’t expect, not on a depth chart, but in a political press release. Headlines confirmed it: “Saquon Barkley named to President Trump’s national sports council.” But then came the correction. He made it clear: this wasn’t his lane, this wasn’t his role. In a season where focus matters more than ever, Barkley wants the noise to stop and the football to speak for itself.

Speaking this week for the first time since the story broke. Barkley said he was “shocked” that his name had even been mentioned. PHLY reporter Zach Berman, broke the news on X as he wrote, “Saquon Barkley said he’s not a part of President Trump’s council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition. He was asked a few months ago and it wasn’t something he was prepared to take on. He was “shocked” that his name was mentioned.” 

It’s rare for Barkley to make headlines for anything off the field, but this moment forced his hand in clarifying his association. Earlier in April, Barkley had come under criticism for golfing with former President Trump at Bedminster and boarding Air Force One alongside him. More than politics, this episode reinforces Barkley’s focus: football first, distraction a distant second.

But a previous episode had a different story, and that one, too, involved Trump and Barkley. Even before Barkley had the chance to clear up the council confusion, he was already under the microscope for another reason, one rooted not in policy but in perception.

Saquon Barkley’s casual outing with President Donald Trump

Saquon Barkley was at the peak of his power; he was the 2024 NFL Offensive Player of the Year, a franchise record-setter, Eagles Super Bowl champion. He signed a blockbuster contract in March 2025, making him the highest-paid running back in NFL history, and starred on the field with a league-leading workhorse season that reaffirmed his place among the elite. But in the summer of April, a different spotlight found him, one far from the gridiron.

As it turns out, Barkley had spent a weekend golfing with Donald Trump at Bedminster, New Jersey, even boarding Air Force One en route to the Eagles’ White House celebration. Social media backlash was immediate and fierce. On X, Barkley fired back, “Lol some people are really upset cause I played golf and flew to the White House with the PRESIDENT. Maybe I just respect the office, not a hard concept to understand. Just golfed with Obama not too long ago…and look forward to finishing my round with Trump!” His message was unmistakable: personal courtesy, not political endorsement.

Trump offered his take on Barkley, too, talking him up to the reporters, “What a nice guy.” Trump also joked, “I wanted to race him, but I decided not to do it.” Barkley’s statements reveal two consistent threads: First, that he prioritizes focusing on football, not politics. Second, he maintains a respectful distance from partisan affiliations, even in high-profile contexts. Yet public perception tried to pull him in: one misguided council listing, one high-profile golf outing, and suddenly Barkley was in the political crosshairs.

So, where does that leave Barkley? For a player defined by discipline, consistency, and leadership in the locker room, this brief detour into political speculation served only to reinforce those traits. Barkley doesn’t court headlines off the field, and when they come, he sets the record straight on his own terms.