If you’ve been following the NFL lately, you know Saquon Barkley is a guy who basically reinvents himself every two years. One minute he’s the "generational talent" in New York carrying a literal franchise on his back, and the next, he’s the missing piece in Philadelphia turning a Super Bowl contender into a juggernaut. But because he’s played in different systems and dealt with some pretty gnarly injuries, people always seem to lose track of his actual production.
So, how many rushing yards does Saquon Barkley have exactly?
As of early 2026, after wrapping up another heavy-duty season with the Philadelphia Eagles, Saquon Barkley has 8,356 career rushing yards.
That’s a big number. Honestly, it’s a number that puts him in some very rarified air, but the raw total doesn't even tell half the story. To understand how he got there—and why his 2024 season was one of the most absurd things we’ve ever seen in modern football—you’ve gotta look at the breakdown.
Breaking Down the 8,356 Career Rushing Yards
Barkley’s career has been a rollercoaster. He came out of Penn State like a heat-seeking missile, hit a massive wall of injuries in the middle of his Giants tenure, and then completely exploded once he got behind the Eagles' offensive line.
If you look at the stats, his 2024 season is the one that historians are going to be talking about forever. That was the year he joined the legendary 2,000-yard club. In fact, he finished that regular season with 2,005 rushing yards. When you add in his playoff run that year—where he helped the Eagles secure a Super Bowl LIX ring—he actually set an NFL record for the most total rushing yards in a single season (regular season plus postseason) with 2,504 yards. He broke Terrell Davis’s 1998 record. That's just wild.
👉 See also: Why the 2025 NFL Draft Class is a Total Headache for Scouts
Here is the year-by-year reality of how he reached that 8,356 total:
- 2018 (Giants): 1,307 yards. He was the Offensive Rookie of the Year and looked like he was playing a different sport than everyone else.
- 2019 (Giants): 1,003 yards. He did this in 13 games while basically playing on one leg due to a high ankle sprain.
- 2020 (Giants): 34 yards. The ACL tear. A brutal year for anyone who loves football.
- 2021 (Giants): 593 yards. The "comeback" year that felt slow. He was clearly still trusting his knee.
- 2022 (Giants): 1,312 yards. The year he proved he wasn't "washed." He was the only reason that Giants team made the playoffs.
- 2023 (Giants): 962 yards. His final year in Blue. Constant stacked boxes and no help.
- 2024 (Eagles): 2,005 yards. Total dominance. He averaged 5.8 yards per carry, which is borderline offensive for a guy with his workload.
- 2025 (Eagles): 1,140 yards. A "down" year by his new standards, but still a top-10 rushing performance in the league.
Why the Eagles Move Changed Everything
For years, the knock on Saquon was that he was "boom or bust." You’d see him get hit in the backfield for a 3-yard loss five times in a row, then rip off an 80-yarder. People blamed him. They said he didn't know how to just take the 4 yards the defense gave him.
Turns out, the Giants just weren't giving him those 4 yards.
When he moved to Philly, he finally got to run behind a competent offensive line. In 2024, his efficiency skyrocketed. He went from averaging 3.9 yards per carry in his final Giants season to a career-high 5.8 with the Eagles. He didn't have to dance in the backfield anymore because there was actually a hole to run through.
The 2025 "Slump" That Wasn't Really a Slump
If you look at his 2025 stats, some people say he slowed down. He finished with 1,140 yards on 280 carries. His average dropped to 4.1 yards per carry.
✨ Don't miss: Liverpool FC Chelsea FC: Why This Grudge Match Still Hits Different
But you’ve gotta look at the context. Defenses spent the entire 2025 season selling out to stop him. He was still the engine. Even on "bad" days, like the Week 12 game against Dallas where he only had 22 yards, he was drawing so much attention that it opened everything up for Jalen Hurts and DeVonta Smith. Then he'd bounce back, like his 150-yard masterclass against his former team, the Giants, in October 2025.
Where Saquon Stands in NFL History
Right now, Barkley is sitting at 44th on the all-time NFL rushing list.
He just passed guys like Herschel Walker and Roger Craig. He’s closing in on Willis McGahee and Terry Allen. If he has one more healthy season in 2026, he’s almost guaranteed to crack the top 35 and pass names like Marshawn Lynch and Shaun Alexander.
It’s easy to forget that he’s only 28 (turning 29 soon). In "running back years," that's getting up there, but Saquon is a different kind of athlete. His workout regimen is legendary—those "quads" aren't just for show. He’s managed his workload better in Philly, even with the high carry counts, because he’s not getting hit four yards behind the line of scrimmage on every play.
The Scrimmage Yard Factor
If you only look at how many rushing yards Saquon Barkley has, you’re missing the most dangerous part of his game. He’s a dual-threat nightmare.
🔗 Read more: NFL Football Teams in Order: Why Most Fans Get the Hierarchy Wrong
Throughout his career, he’s hauled in 358 receptions for 2,651 receiving yards. When you combine that with his 8,356 rushing yards, his total yards from scrimmage sits at 11,007.
Cracking the 11,000-yard mark for total scrimmage yards is a massive milestone for a guy who has "only" played eight seasons, especially considering he basically missed an entire year in 2020.
What’s Next for Barkley?
As we head into the 2026 offseason, the conversation is shifting from "Is he elite?" to "Is he a Hall of Famer?"
To get to Canton, he probably needs to hit that 10,000-yard rushing mark. He’s currently about 1,644 yards away. At his current pace, he could hit that late in the 2027 season or early 2028. If he stays healthy and stays in this Eagles system, it’s not just possible—it’s likely.
If you’re tracking his stats for fantasy or just for the love of the game, keep an eye on his "explosive run" percentage. In 2025, even though his average was lower, he still ranked 8th in the league for runs of 10+ yards. He’s still got the home-run speed.
Next Steps for Fans and Analysts:
- Monitor the 2026 Draft: See if the Eagles bring in a high-end rookie back. If they don't, expect Saquon to keep seeing 250+ carries, keeping him on track for the 10k club.
- Watch the All-Time List: Barkley is currently 44th. He needs fewer than 300 yards to pass Willis McGahee and Jim Taylor. He could jump five spots in the first month of next season.
- Check the Receiving Usage: As running backs age, they often transition to more of a receiving role to save their bodies. If his targets go up in 2026, his rushing total might slow down, but his scrimmage yards will keep climbing.
Saquon Barkley isn't just a stat line; he’s a volume monster who has finally found a home that appreciates his efficiency. 8,356 yards is just the current checkpoint.