Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley expressed enthusiasm for the team's new offensive coordinator, Sean Mannion, during a recent NFL Network appearance. Entering his third season with the Eagles, Barkley sees the coaching change as a refreshing opportunity to rebound from a disappointing 2025 campaign. He highlighted the potential for growth in the revamped offensive system.
Saquon Barkley, now in his ninth NFL season, spoke on Friday's episode of The Insiders on NFL Network about his anticipation for working under Sean Mannion, the Eagles' newly hired offensive coordinator. Previously the quarterbacks coach for the Green Bay Packers, Mannion joins a revamped Philadelphia coaching staff that also includes Chris Kuper as the new offensive line coach, replacing longtime coach Jeff Stoutland.
Barkley, who joined the Eagles prior to the 2024 season, described the upcoming system as unlike any he has encountered. "I'm super excited about it," he said. "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."
The 2025 season marked a stark contrast to Barkley's standout 2024 performance, when he earned Offensive Player of the Year honors with over 2,000 rushing yards, a 5.8 yards-per-carry average, and 11 games of 100 or more rushing yards. In 2025, amid the Eagles' failed Super Bowl defense, the team ranked 19th in scoring and 24th in total yards, with the rushing attack at 18th and passing at 23rd. Barkley recorded 1,140 rushing yards on 4.1 yards per carry, averaging 71.3 yards per game and achieving only three 100-yard games.
"At the end of the day, we just weren't consistent enough throughout games," Barkley reflected. "That's something that we have to challenge ourselves to get ready for next year. We made a lot of changes on offense with the coaching staff, so excited to get in the building and learn something new and just go out on the field and put last year in the past."
Barkley emphasized the competitive drive to adapt, noting his introductory meeting with Mannion focused on personal connections rather than schemes. He praised the hires as "very creative, super smart" and expressed confidence in the offense's ability to buy in. "I feel like if we are able to have that mindset as an offense and buy into that, I think the sky's the limit," he added. The Eagles aim to recapture their 2024 form, with Barkley viewing the changes as a pathway to renewed success.
