If we say things have been going great for Saquon Barkley, it’s probably a big old understatement. The guy came to the Eagles with a promise of an explosion. And that’s exactly what he delivered. Racking up 2,504 rushing yards with 18 sweet TDs would be hard for any veteran, but Barkley? He did it in such style that it almost felt like a second nature for the Super Bowl champ. But while he’s certainly got that Pro Bowler energy on the gridiron, off the field, there are things that come as a big disappointment for the Eagles star.

Saquon Barkley is entering the second season with the Eagles, but that’s only where the highlights begin. Scoring a cover of the Madden NFL 26’, fans have been worried about the ‘Madden curse’ following Barkley’s career now. But that’s all about football. For the unique player that Barkley is, he struggles with a problem that is quite common. And it’s not something fans can guess at a first try. As he recently admitted, it’s nothing other than photography.

Saquon Barkley took to his official X account and shared an admission that’s a shocker as well as amusing. Barkley wrote, “Today I discovered.. I might be the worst photo taker of all time! Respect to the fellas out there that capture the correct shot ✊🏽” So, Saquon Barkley can’t take good pictures. While it’s unclear exactly why Barkley came to this conclusion, fans still felt his disappointment and encouraged him. Barkley certainly fits like a puzzle piece in front of the camera, both on and off the field. He’s got a massive $41.2 million contract extension that changed the game for running backs across the league. Add to that the recent partnership with Nike for the new Nike Alpha Menace 4 Elite “Saquon Barkley”, and even the Madden cover for that matter. It’s just behind the camera that his major struggles lie.

As Saquon Barkley comes to this realization, he also appreciated the people who can capture the perfect moments on camera. But this isn’t the first time. Recently, when discussing the Madden cover, he even expressed his appreciation for the EA Sports team. The team took numerous takes to recreate his iconic reverse hurdle from last year. And Barkley’s even determined to give them more highlight moments this coming season. “I can’t wait to hit the field again to give Madden players more highlight-reel moments in Madden NFL 26.”

But as he gears up for the 2025 season, fans are definitely worried about a time when Barkley hangs up his cleats and walks away. Especially with Barkley dropping hints about retirement that might be just around the corner.

Retirement inching close for Saquon Barkley?

Saquon Barkley has been dropping subtle hints about his career trajectory ever since the beginning. Even last year, he hinted that he’s “About To Join A New Franchise… Again.” But as it turned out, the guy was only teasing a new branding deal. This time around, though, he has shed some actual light on the matter of his retirement. And it’s become a source of worry and wonder for people all around the league. While there’s no date set in stone, as per Barkley, any moment could be his last on the gridiron. 

Talking about his potential retirement date on the Green Light with Chris Long podcast, Saquon Barkley dropped a huge hint. “I’ll probably be one of those guys that it’ll be out of nowhere. I’ll probably just wake up one day, whether it’s next year or two years or four years, and just be like, ‘Yeah it’s over.’” So, one random day, maybe within the next two or four seasons, Barkley will hang up his cleats and call it a day. And Barkley’s favorite footballer might have something to with this decision too. As Barkley put it, “my favorite player of all time, is Barry Sanders, so probably similar to that. – Maybe one day it will be out of nowhere. I’ll probably be ballin’ and just be like, ‘Yeah’ and call it quits.” Why Barry Sanders though?

Barry Sanders was a former running back for the Detroit Lions. After completing a decade of his NFL career, in a move that surprised everyone, Sanders walked away at 31. It’s notable that Saquon Barkley is 28 now, so a similar surprise may be in store just two or three years down the line. At Least for now, we can look forward to his performance this new season as he’s still a bit away from 30. But who knows, he might just hang up his cleats at the peak of his career. What do you think?