The Eagles offensive line takes care of Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley on the football field. So, Hurts and Barkley made sure to take care of the group for the holidays.
Late Tuesday afternoon, Hurts and Barkley teamed up to gift each offensive lineman a custom four-seater golf cart. From the starters to the backups, each player received a black or white cart with his last name and number emblazoned on the side. Hurts’ and Barkley’s logos for their personal brands decorated the back of each cart.
Through their collective performance this season, the offensive line has earned the gratitude of two of the most important players on the team. Barkley had high expectations for the group from the outset. On the first day of training camp, Barkley said that the franchise’s history of talent along the offensive line was the reason he signed a three-year, $37.75 million deal to join the Eagles. With help from the linemen, he said he could show his true potential.
His aspiration is coming to fruition. Barkley leads the league with 1,838 rushing yards, just 268 yards shy of breaking Eric Dickerson’s NFL single-season record that was set in 1984. According to Pro Football Reference, Barkley leads all running backs with 3.8 yards before contact, a reflection of the skill sets of the running back and his protection. Throughout the season, Barkley has reiterated that his success wouldn’t be possible without the players blocking up front.
The respect is mutual. Earlier this month, Landon Dickerson hung two framed pictures of Barkley on the back wall of the locker room at the NovaCare Complex close to the stalls of the starting offensive linemen. The words “OUR SAVIOR” and “THE CHOSEN ONE” are written on pieces of white tape placed beneath each frame.
In his fourth year as the starting quarterback, Hurts is well-acquainted with the abilities of the offensive line. They’ve continued to combine their talents on the Tush Push, the Eagles’ rendition of the quarterback sneak. Thanks to their dominant play, Hurts has scored 11 touchdowns off of the Tush Push. Two weeks ago after the Eagles’ victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, Jordan Mailata said he had a “hate-love” relationship with the play due to its violence and the team’s high execution.
Thanks to the Tush Push, Hurts is tied for the league high with 14 total rushing touchdowns this season. He is two rushing touchdowns away from breaking the NFL single-season quarterback record, which he and Josh Allen set last year.
Hurts has also benefitted in the passing game from his protection up front. When kept clean this season, he leads all starting quarterbacks with a 78.9% completion rate, according to Pro Football Focus. His 116.8 quarterback rating on those dropbacks ranks third among starters.
After one training camp practice, Jalen Hurts drove Nick Sirianni and Dom DiSandro around the field in the chief security officer’s golf cart. Next summer, Hurts and his offensive linemen can take a spin in their own.
The Eagles host the Dallas Cowboys in Week 17. Join Eagles beat reporters Olivia Reiner and EJ Smith as they dissect the hottest storylines surrounding the team on Gameday Central, live from Lincoln Financial Field.
