The Saquon Barkley hurdle happened in the Week 9 matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Jacksonville Jaguars, when Saquon Barkley stunned the football world with a gravity-defying backwards hurdle that left everyone in awe.
Setting the Stage
The Eagles, winners of four out of their last five, faced off against a struggling 2-6 Jaguars team.
The Play That Broke the Internet
Early in the second quarter, with the Eagles facing a third-and-6, Barkley caught a pass from Jalen Hurts in the flat. What happened next was nothing short of extraordinary:
- Barkley broke a tackle
- He executed a spin move that left defender Devin Lloyd grasping at air
- With his back to cornerback Jarrian Jones, Barkley leaped backwards, hurdling over the defender
The 14-yard gain (aka the Saquon Barkley hurdle) left Eagles coach Nick Sirianni “speechless”.
“It was the best play I’ve ever seen,” Sirianni said. “What I think is so cool, there’s going to be kids all over the country and all over Philadelphia trying to make that play and talking about that play and simulating that play as they play backyard football or peewee football. They ain’t going to be able to make it — I believe he’s the only one in the world that can do that.”
Hurdles in history
While hurdling defenders isn’t new in the NFL, the Saquon Barkley hurdle is unprecedented. Few are athletic enough to jump over a defender, let alone do it backwards. It’s reminiscent of:
- Ezekiel Elliot Hurdles Bears Defender (2016): Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliot surprised people when he hurdled over a defender with ease during a game against the Chicago Bears.
- Todd Gurley Hurdles Bears Defender (2016): Rams running back Todd Gurley surprised people when he hurdled for a first down during a game against the Chicago Bears.
- Brandon Aiyuk Hurdles Defender For Touchdown (2020): 49ers wide reciever Brandon Aiyuk hurdled over a defender on the way to a touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles.
- Jerome Simpson’s Front Flip Into The End Zone (2011): Bengals wide receiver Jerome Simpson made headlines when he performed a front flip over a defender into the end zone during a game against the Arizona Cardinals.
- Cam Newton’s Front Flip (2015): Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton shocked fans after a Jerome Simpson-like leap over a defender and landing on his feet for a touchdown in a game against the Houston Texans.
OTHER Reactions
“I’ve never in my life, ever seen a man do that. I don’t even know how you plan that in your head,” said Eagles Safety Sydney Brown. “I don’t even know how you think of that. I’ve never seen a man jump that high at the weight he is and the size he is. It was just incredible. Probably one of the best plays I’ve seen in my life.”
“Kids, do not f—–g do that,” said the Chiefs Travis Kelce said on his podcast, New Heights. “Football is not meant to be played in the air. I promise you that. Unless you’re an incredible athlete. If your athleticism is far more superior than everybody else’s on the field, then do whatever the f–k you want. Outside of that, do not … that is a safety hazard.”
Barkley appeared on the Air It Out Podcast with AJ Greene and Justin Pugh and talked about the viral Saquon Barkley hurdle.
“What really happened was I was going to hit a double spin,” Barkley said. “I aborted it. So when I spun, I went to spin again and I just like, it’s probably going to take away from how cool the play is, I really kind of, I thought he was going low. So I was just like it’ll be cool if I just jumped up but my body kind of took over.”
Saquon Barkley finished the game with 199 total yards and two touchdowns in the Eagles 28-23 victory over the Jaguars. The Eagles improved their record to 6-2 with the victory, solidifying their position as NFC contenders.
