Saquon Barkley makes feelings known on 2024 Eagles ranking among NFL’s best teams of all time

The 2024 Philadelphia Eagles will go down as one of the most complete Super Bowl champions in NFL history. From their rushing attack, passing game and stifling defense, Philadelphia ultimately overwhelmed the Kansas City Chiefs in one of the more lopsided Super Bowls in recent memory.

By the end of the season, the Eagles ranked in the top ten in yards and points on both sides of the ball and posted the sixth-highest point differential in franchise history.

On Thursday, Eagles running back Saquon Barkley joined Cooper DeJean and Reed Blankenship on the Exciting Mics podcast to offer his feelings on the 2024 team's slot among the great teams.

"Our team, last year, I think we're a top-five team of all time," Barkley said (Timestamp: 12:53). "I tell my boys this all the time. We started off 2-2 and lost to Washington. Jalen Hurts got hurt in that game. But if you really look at the season, outside the first four games, it was belt to a**.

Barkley praised DeJean and Blankenship, who anchored the secondary for Philadelphia's electric defensive unit, along with showing love to the dominant offensive unit, which he headlined.

In his first season in Philly, Barkley eclipsed the 2,000-yard mark on the ground, earning first-team All-Pro honors and winning the Offensive Player of the Year award.

Saquon Barkley defends tush push play

Earlier this week, the NFL owners voted to ban Philadelphia's signature play near the goal line: the tush push. The quarterback sneak play quickly garnered recognition as one of the most efficient plays in the NFL, with only a few teams finding ways to stop Jalen Hurts from finding the end zone.

On Wednesday, the decision fell two votes shy of an official ban, meaning the play has at least one more season in the Eagles' playbook. Owners argued against the play due to safety concerns, but Saquon Barkley made his case for the play to remain regulated during games.

"I think it's soft," Barkley said on the Exciting Mics podcast (Timestamp: 23:40). "Everybody can do it. It's not a play that only we do. We happen to have one of the best and biggest O-lines and Jalen Hurts can squat 600 pounds. That's not our fault."

Barkley also pointed out a lack of success from teams around the league who have attempted to run the play, using dual-threat quarterbacks Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson in his example.

Since 2023, Jalen Hurts has racked up the most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback (29), with Allen trailing (27). Behind Hurts and Allen, Anthony Richardson is the next highest with 10 rushing TDs over that span.