After watching his numbers take a dip in 2025, Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley is excited about what the 2026 season has in store, thanks to new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion.
Barkley told NFL Network that Mannion’s offensive system is different than any other that he’s been a part of, causing him to look forward to what’s ahead for the Eagles next season.
“I’m super excited about it,” Barkley told NFL Network. “I’m going on Year 9, which is crazy to say, and I’ve had a lot of different coaches and head coaches and been a part of a lot of systems. I don’t think I really came across a system like this. For me, it’s refreshing. You get something new. You get to learn something new.”
Mannion was previously the Green Bay Packers’ quarterbacks coach. While Mannion never worked under Sean McVay, he’s part of the Los Angeles Rams coach’s coaching tree as he spent the last two years with McVay disciple Matt LaFleur. So, Mannion will likely deploy a zone running scheme, which is the kind of system that running backs like Josh Jacobs and Christian McCaffrey have thrived in over the last few seasons.
Of course, Barkley has also thrived in the Eagles’ offense in the past. He rushed for 2,005 yards on 5.8 yards per carry in 2024, winning Offensive Player of the Year that season en route to a Super Bowl win. But Barkley’s numbers took a dip in 2025. He still rushed for 1,140 yards, although he did it on just 4.1 yards per carry.
Barkley wasn’t the only key member of the Eagles’ offense to see their numbers drop in 2025, either. Jalen Hurts threw for more yards in 2025 (3,224) than he did in 2024 (2,903), but he did so on worse efficiency, going from eight yards per attempt to 7.1 yards per attempt. A.J. Brown went from posting 83.9 receiving yards per game to 66.9 receiving yards per game. DeVonta Smith had 59.3 receiving yards per game after logging 64.1 receiving yards per game in 2024.
The massive drop in production from the Eagles’ star players caused them to finish 24th in total offense and 19th in scoring this past season. As a result, their Super Bowl title defense fell short, losing in the wild-card round to the San Francisco 49ers. Just days after the loss, the Eagles opted to move on from offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo.
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