Saquon Barkley's remarkable hurdle of Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Jarrian Jones during the Philadelphia Eagles' Week 9 victory has generated significant attention, even leading one of the league's top running backs to question its authenticity. Bijan Robinson, the Atlanta Falcons running back, shared his disbelief during a recent appearance on The Rich Eisen Show, stating, 'When he did that, I was watching it and at first I was like, 'ain't no way that just happened.' I was like, 'that couldn't have happened. He didn't jump over him. He probably jumped on the side of him.' But then when I saw the replay and he jumped completely over him, I was like, 'yeah I gotta try this.'
In the play, Barkley received a pass, skillfully maneuvered past one defender, spun away from another, and executed a stunning reverse hurdle over Jones—a feat that seemed almost beyond reality, akin to something one might witness in a video game. This moment stood out as the highlight of his outstanding performance, contributing to the Eagles' 28-23 win. Barkley finished the matchup with an impressive total of 199 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns.
Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni reflected on the significance of Barkley's play, expressing, 'Saquon's play, what I think is so cool, is there are going to be kids all over the country and all over Philadelphia—I really think about that—trying to make that play and talking about that play and simulating that play as they play backyard football or Pee Wee Football.' Robinson's admiration for the move suggests that he too may attempt to replicate it, an exhilarating prospect for NFL enthusiasts, particularly given Robinson's own athletic prowess.
