Saquon Barkley Dec 25, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley (26) against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

During his contract negotiations with the New York Giants last year, Saquon Barkley made it clear that he wanted to retire as a member of the Giants after the team selected him as a top-five pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. But now, it’s sounding like he’s accepted a new reality.

While Saquon Barkley would still like to remain a member of the New York Giants throughout his entire career, he has since come to terms with the idea that he could be playing in a new uniform in the near future.

“Yeah, I mean it never crossed my mind until last year after I got tagged. Up until that moment, I really believed that I was gonna finish my career as a New York Giant. You know, that was a goal of mine. And that’s still in play. I have so much respect for the Mara family and the Tisch family and everyone in the Giants organization,” Barkley told Complex.com.

“They know that but once you get to this point, you go to your contract negotiation and you go through the tag process, you realize how much of a business it is. And I remember vets always telling me this and you know I believed them, but you don’t really know something until you go through it. So could I see myself in another uniform? Yeah, it’s possible.”

Barkley is set to go through contract negotiations with the Giants once again this offseason. We’ll have to see if they can agree to an extension that keeps him in New York.

[Complex.com]