The Philadelphia Eagles haven’t looked like their Super Bowl-winning selves this season. Too many inconsistencies across various departments have held the Eagles back. But their biggest star, RB Saquon Barkley, has faced the brunt of the criticism. Especially with the 28-year-old falling from a monumental 125.3 yards per game to only putting up 52.7 yards per game in 2025. This drop has led to constant judgment, and now questions about his off-field ventures.

Like many of his peers, Saquon Barkley has always given back to the community through various projects. One such project is the Michael Ann & Saquon Barkley Hope Foundation. Barkley’s foundation recently announced its inaugural black-tie event, the Hurdles for Hope Gala 2025, on Nov. 1 at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. But just days after this announcement, the First-team All-Pro RB was asked if his performance was affected by off-field endeavors. Barkley was quick to shut down this narrative.

He further revealed that he keeps his commercial commitments in “March, April, May” and ensures that he does those on his off days, as per Zach Berman. He further stated, “So something I do in April has no effect on how I run in the ball in September or October, to be completely honest.”

But Barkley may not be at the center of the blame if he hasn’t had 20 total touches in a game in the last three games. Rather, the issue may lie with his offensive coordinator, Kevin Patullo. Last season, the Eagles may have overused Barkley as an offensive weapon, resulting in a career-high 482 touches.

Rather, Patullo, the former Eagles passing coordinator, has been attempting to find a balance between the run and pass. This has been a shift from ex-offensive coordinator Kellen Moore’s previous run-first approach. But despite this change, Barkley remains adamant about being able to turn around this poor start.

Saquon Barkley takes responsibility for Philadelphia Eagles’ running game

The Philadelphia Eagles snapped their two-game losing streak with a 28-22 win over the Minnesota Vikings. But despite the victory, Barkley registered only 44 yards on 18 carries. Reacting to this performance, Barkley was critical of the running game. He then expressed that it’s his responsibility to ensure the Eagles are performing on that front.

As per AtoZ Sports, Barkley asserted, “We’re just not getting the job done. I’m not getting the job done. I own the running game. That’s my responsibility. I was brought here to make plays in the run game, and I’m not making plays in the run game. I’m taking too many negative runs, and I own that.”

With a 5-2 record, the Philadelphia Eagles are still strong contenders to make a deep run in the 2025 NFL season. But it will be extremely crucial for the defending champs to make necessary amends if they want to lift the Lombardi Trophy again in February.