Saquon Barkley’s success with Eagles is ‘middle finger year’ to Giants, Kyle Van Noy says

During the two weeks before Super Bowl LIX, a storyline sure to be frequently revisited is Saquon Barkley playing in the big game with the Philadelphia Eagles one season after the New York Giants decided not to re-sign him as a free agent.

Letting Barkley go to an NFC East rival was already a bad look. The decision appeared even worse when the seven-year veteran rushed for a career-high 2,005 yards, becoming the ninth player in NFL history to surpass the 2,000-yard mark.

And now, Barkley has an opportunity to win a Super Bowl after rushing for 115 yards and three touchdowns in Sunday’s 55-23 NFC championship game victory over the Washington Commanders.

Meanwhile, the Giants finished 3-14, and Tyrone Tracy Jr. led the team with 839 rushing yards. The team is currently considering whom to take with the No. 3 selection in April’s NFL Draft.

On Yahoo Sports’ “McCoy & Van Noy” podcast, Baltimore Ravens linebacker Kyle Van Noy said the Giants have to live with watching a generational talent who was once on their roster find great success elsewhere.

“I just want to give my kudos to Saquon. How he’s handled this whole situation has been just first-class,” Van Noy said. “Always love to the Giants, but he’s like, you know what, I got a new family. I got the Eagles. I’m gonna put the Eagles on my back like I did the Giants … and go all the way.

“He’s used this year as a middle finger year,” he added. “I literally see that in his play, the enthusiasm he has each and every time he gets the ball.”

McCoy agreed, saying, “it would give me so much gratification” to stick it to his old team like that.

Van Noy added that the entire situation hasn’t gotten enough attention and needs to be “put more on blast.” It likely will over the next two weeks as the football media look for storylines to pursue.

Barkley and the Eagles will face the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX on Feb. 9. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET. Philadelphia ranked second in the NFL in rushing this season, averaging 179.3 yards per game, while the Chiefs allowed 101.8 rushing yards per game, finishing eighth in the NFL.