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By Kevin McCormick
Contributing Sports Writer
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Earlier this week, it was revealed that Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley will be the cover athlete for the latest installment in the Madden franchise. Along with gracing the front of this year's game, he's also received another prestigious honor.
Throughout the history of Madden, being given a 99 overall is a notable feat that only a handful of players can say they've received. Coming off the best year of his NFL career, Barkley has now broken through this threshold. Amid the cover announcement, the people from Madden also gifted him a customized necklace to welcome him to the "99 Club."
With this achievement, Barkley joins an exclusive group of players in Eagles history. He is now the third player to be given a 99 overall. The first Eagle to reach this mark was Brian Dawkins in 2004. Two years later, kicker David Akers also joined the "99 Club." Prior to Barkley, Lane Johnson was the most recent Eagles player to come close, reaching a 98 overall in 2024.
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After failing to come to an agreement on a new contract with the New York Giants, Barkley opted to depart from the team that drafted him to join the Eagles. This move yielded huge dividends, as his presence helped get the title contenders over the hump.
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In his first season with Philly, Barkley came just shy of history by rushing for 2,005 yards in the regular season. He did so in just 16 games, as the team opted to sit him in Week 17 in preparation for the playoffs. Not only were Barkley's rushing yards a career-high, but he also posted his highest yards from scrimmage for a season (2,283).
Having a strong backfield threat in Barkley gave the Eagles' offense a dynamic it hasn't had in some time, and made them much harder to contain week-to-week. Led by the star back's historic season, Philly carried this momentum all the way to their second Super Bowl win in franchise history.
Landing the cover and a 99 overall are well-deserved honors for Barkley, but now the Eagles star has a tough challenge ahead. Many view landing on the front of the game as a curse due to multiple players falling off afterward. Seeing that the Eagles are poised to remain in the title hunt this season, they'll need Barkley to continue playing at a high level.
Barkley set the bar high last year with a dominant first season with the Eagles. Replicating his 2024 campaign is a tall task, but with most of the team's core returning, all the pieces are in place for him to once again be a focal point of the offense.
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