Saquon Barkley Biography 2024: Age, Relationship, Height, Net Worth, Family, Children, Career, NFL Stats

Saquon Barkley, born on February 9, 1997, is a prominent American football running back who currently plays for the New York Giants in the National Football League (NFL).

Before joining the NFL in 2018, Barkley showcased his exceptional skills in college football at Penn State, where he achieved numerous school records for his impressive offensive performance throughout three seasons.

Despite having the option to complete his senior year, Barkley decided to forgo it and pursue a professional career in the NFL.

Early Life

Barkley was born and raised in The Bronx, where he developed a strong admiration for Curtis Martin, the New York Jets’ running back during the late 90s and early 2000s. Coming from a family of athletes, Barkley’s father was a boxer, his brother was a baseball player drafted by the Los Angeles Angels, and his great uncle was a professional boxer.

In 2001, Barkley’s family decided to relocate to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in search of a safer and more suburban environment. They later moved to neighboring Allentown and eventually settled in Coplay, Pennsylvania in 2005.

Barkley attended Whitehall High School in Whitehall Township, Pennsylvania, which is known for producing numerous NFL and professional athletes. During his time at Whitehall, Barkley showcased his exceptional skills, rushing for an impressive 3,646 yards and scoring 63 touchdowns from his sophomore to senior year. As a senior, he recorded 1,856 yards and 31 touchdowns.

Recognized as a highly talented player, Barkley received a four-star rating as a recruit and made the decision to play college football at Penn State. Although he initially committed to Rutgers, he ultimately chose Penn State as his destination.

Read Also: Taylor Swift Biography 2024: Real Age, House, Awards, Cars And Net Worth

Ariana Grande | Biography, Songs, Career, Achievements, Ranking, Lifestyle 2024

On September 10, 2021, the jersey number (#21) of Barkley was officially retired by Whitehall High School. Before Barkley, the high school had already retired the jersey numbers of two other successful NFL players who were also Whitehall alumni.

These players are Matt Millen, who had a career from 1980 to 1991 with the Oakland and Los Angeles Raiders, the San Francisco 49ers, and the Washington Redskins, and Dan Koppen, who played from 2003 to 2013 with the New England Patriots and Denver Broncos.

College Career

During his initial year at Penn State, Barkley quickly established himself as a valuable player in 2015. In his debut game, he gained only one yard on one carry, but in his second game against Buffalo, he showcased his skills by rushing for 115 yards and scoring a touchdown.

He continued to impress in his third game against Rutgers, accumulating 195 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries. Unfortunately, he faced a setback in October when he missed two games due to injury.

However, Barkley made a triumphant return in his first game back against the top-ranked Ohio State on October 17, 2015. He displayed his exceptional talent by rushing for 194 yards on 26 carries.

Throughout his freshman year at Penn State, Barkley accumulated a total of 1,076 yards on 182 carries.

Barkley’s outstanding performance during his freshman year garnered him praise during the offseason. He was recognized as second-team All-Big Ten, with some votes for first-team status, and was also honored as the BTN.com Freshman of the Year.

Collegiate awards and honors

• Fiesta Bowl champion, 2017
• Six-time Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week, 2017, 2016
• ESPN and Sporting News Midseason All American – 2017
• Two-time Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week (2017)
• Paul Hornung Award, 2017
• Consensus All-American, 2017
• Sporting News All-American First team, 2017
• ESPN First Team All-American, 2017
• FWAA First Team All-American, 2017
• Associated Press First Team All-American, 2017
• Walter Camp First Team All-American, 2017
• Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year 2016 and 2017
• Big Ten Running Back of the Year, 2016 and 2017
• Big Ten Return Specialist of the Year, 2017
• Big Ten champion, 2016
• Associated Press Third Team All-American, 2016
• Sporting News All-American second team, 2016
• All-Big Ten First team, 2016
• All-Big Ten Second team, 2015

Records

Penn State:

• Most career rushing touchdowns: 43
• Most rushing yards by a freshman: 1,076 yards
• Most rushing yards by a sophomore: 1,496 yards
• Most total yards in a single game: 358 yards (vs. Iowa)
• First player to score a return and passing touchdown in the same game

Professional Career

Entering the 2018 NFL draft, Barkley was widely anticipated to be a top 10 NFL pick. As the NFL Combine approached, Barkley’s draft stock continued to rise.

By late February 2018, some mock drafts even projected him as high as the second overall selection, marking the highest for a running back since Reggie Bush in 2006.

ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr., known for his reluctance to endorse running backs in the first round of the NFL draft, described Barkley as a unique talent, warning teams that overlook him will regret their decision.

During the combine, Barkley delivered an impressive performance, clocking in a 4.4-second 40-yard dash and completing 29 bench presses of 225 pounds, tying for the most reps among running backs at the event.

NFL analyst Ian Rapoport reported that the Cleveland Browns were seriously contemplating selecting Barkley as the first overall pick, a move that would have made him the first running back since Ki-Jana Carter in 1995 to be chosen first overall.

On March 7, 2023, Barkley was designated with the non-exclusive franchise tag by the Giants. He officially signed the franchise tag on July 26 after it was modified to include a $2 million signing bonus and additional incentives.

In a game against the New York Jets in Week 8, Barkley recorded 128 rushing yards on 36 carries, although the Giants ultimately lost 10-13 in overtime. During Week 11 against the Commanders, he contributed 140 scrimmage yards and scored two receiving touchdowns in a victorious effort. Then, in Week 18 against Philadelphia, he scored two rushing touchdowns in another win.

By the end of the 2023 season, Barkley had accumulated 962 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns on 247 carries, along with 280 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns on 41 receptions in 14 games.

NFL career statistics

Personal Life

Barkley comes from a family of five siblings, with three brothers and two sisters. His parents are Alibay Barkley and Tonya Johnson. Notably, his great uncle is Iran Barkley, a former WBC middleweight champion. Barkley himself is a proud father of two children. His daughter, Jada Clare, was born on April 24, 2018, while his son, Saquon Jr., arrived in September 2022.

In recognition of Barkley’s achievements, the Pennsylvania General Assembly designated March 14 as “Saquon Barkley Day” in 2018. To celebrate this special occasion, Barkley and his family took part in a parade held in his hometown of Coplay, Pennsylvania. The parade featured the Whitehall High School marching band and young athletes from the league where Barkley once played youth football.

Furthermore, Barkley identifies as a Christian, embracing his faith as an important aspect of his personal life.

Net Worth

According to data provided by acknowledge.com, Barkley‘s net worth is estimated to be around 40 million dollars.