SJM 0824 Saquon Barkley - FINAL_Profile ( Dept . ) 8 / 22 / 24 1 : 49 PM Page 2 B Y L E S B O W E N T H E D R I V E I S 9 7 M I L E S . If you hit the traffic right , it takes Giants’closest and most hated NFC there.But the Giants struggled so maybe 95 minutes . Head up Broad Eastrival . muchduring Barkley’s tenure — 34 - 64 - Street a few blocks , cross the Walt Whit - WhenBarkley was booed by New 1 , one winning season , one brief play - man Bridge and head up I - 295 to the Yorkfans while attending Game 6 of offappearance — that he clearly will not Route 73 linkup with the New Jersey theSixers ’ playoff series with the beupset if he is remembered as an Turnpike . Then it’s a straight shot north Knicks , he took to X , formerly Twitter , Eagle , assuming this phase of his to get from where the Eagles practice tomuse : “ It’s been two months . . . lol no careergoes the way he foresees . and play in South Philadelphia to the wayya can still be this mad . ” “ Itry my best not to live in the New York Giants ’ home in East Ruther - Later , on the Scoop City podcast , past , ” Barkley said on his first day of ford , N.J . Barkleysaid he had to acknowledge trainingcamp as an Eagle . “ I guess I’ll There are places in Central Jersey thatbeing dubbed “ Snakequon ” by reflecton [ my Giants legacy ] when I’m where Giants flags and Eagles flags jiltedGiants fans was pretty funny . done.I’m looking forward to the future . alternate on the same block . South Jer - Thewound was kept fresh by the . . . I’m focused on building my legacy sey , of course , is Eagles country . But if Giants’appearance on HBO’s Hard here.And when I’m done playing the you live here , you know a decent num - Knocks . The show documented the game , I’ll go back and reflect on the ber of Giants fans have filtered down eventsaround Barkley’s departure , things I was able to accomplish . our way ; sometimes they just find it includingwhen general manager Joe “ I’mthankful , not only for that wise not to make too big a display . Schoentold owner John Mara that the [ Giants ] organization over there , but all Yet Saquon Barkley frequently pref - Eagleswere a possible destination thefans . Even the people that have aces his remarks with the phrase “ from oncethe Giants sent Barkley out to somethingnegative to say about me , afar ” when he’s asked to recall his seeka deal in free agency ( which they they’re still important to me . But I’m impressions of the Eagles and Philadel - saidthey hoped to match , but ulti - excitedto buy into the culture here , phia during his six seasons as the mately , did not . ) buyinto this city , buy into this fanbase Giants ’ centerpiece . As if he’d been “ I’ll have a tough time sleeping if here . . . start all over and build a new tracking the Eagles from Iowa , or Saquongoes to Philadelphia , I’ll tell legacyhere . ” something . youthat , ” Mara said in front of the Thissort of thing just doesn’t hap - If that really was the running back’s cameras.Mara went on to indicate that penmuch in the NFL . A star in his perspective , maybe it helps explain heknows players come and go , but prime , a franchise icon , becoming why Barkley was unprepared for the “ he’sthe most popular player we have , hatedovernight by signing with its avalanche of abuse that chased him byfar . ” biggest , closest rival ? The closest paral - down the turnpike after he signed a Extremelypopular players who lelmight be when Brett Favre led the three - year , $ 37.75 million contract — spendseveral years in one city gener - MinnesotaVikings to two victories over $ 26 million of it guaranteed — with the allyhave some concern for their legacy theGreen Bay Packers , and then to the S O U T H J E R S E Y M A G A Z I N E | V O L U M E 2 1 • I S S U E 5 | S O U T H J E R S E Y M A G A Z I N E . C O M | 2 5