The 1972 Miami Dolphins. The 1985 Chicago Bears. The 2000 Baltimore Ravens. The 2007 New England Patriots.
And now? According to Saquon Barkley, the 2024 Philadelphia Eagles belong in that same legendary conversation.
The star running back, coming off a record-setting debut season in Philadelphia, didn’t hold back when sharing his views on the reigning Super Bowl champions.
“I firmly believe – when you look at our team that we had last year, and I know that we’re not looking too far into the past – but our team last year, I think we’re a top-five team of all time,” Barkley confidently stated on the “Exciting Mics” podcast hosted by Eagles DB stars Cooper DeJean and Reed Blankenship.
Barkley added that he believes the historical significance of the 2024 Eagles will only grow with time.
“When we look back on it 10 to 15 years, and we’re all old and we’re reflecting on our glorious days … the year that we had last year, people don’t give us enough credit,” he added.
The Eagles started the 2024 season inconsistently, splitting their first four games at 2-2. But following their Week 5 bye, Philadelphia surged – winning 12 of their final 13 regular-season games to finish 14-3.
Their only loss during that stretch came against the Washington Commanders in December.
In the playoffs, head coach Nick Sirianni’s team was nearly untouchable, cruising to a dominant 40-22 win over Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl.
“From how dominant you guys were on defense and how dominant we were on offense and special teams, people don’t realize how great of a team that was,” Barkley said, adding “teams really stood no chance.”
Statistically, the Eagles backed up Barkley’s bold claim. They ranked second in the NFL in points allowed and seventh in points scored.
Barkley, who joined the team in the offseason after a disappointing wild-card exit the year before, transformed the offense.
He led the league with 2,005 rushing yards – averaging 5.8 yards per carry – and totaled 2,283 scrimmage yards and 15 touchdowns.
Barkley was part of a loaded roster that included Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts at quarterback, an elite offensive line, and top-tier wide receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith.
On defense, the arrival of coordinator Vic Fangio helped galvanize a unit headlined by breakout stars Jalen Carter, Zack Baun, and a standout secondary featuring DeJean and rookie Quinyon Mitchell.
Reflecting on NFL history, Barkley listed teams he sees as peers to the 2024 Eagles: the undefeated ’72 Dolphins, the bruising ’85 Bears and ’00 Ravens defenses, and the dynastic squads of the Patriots and Chiefs.
The Dolphins remain the league’s only perfect team, going 14-0 in the regular season and winning Super Bowl VII.
The ’85 Bears and ’00 Ravens are widely regarded for assembling two of the most dominant defenses in NFL history.
The Patriots, with Tom Brady and Bill Belichick, collected six Lombardi Trophies – though their most dominant team, the 2007 squad, fell short in the Super Bowl (which can’t possibly be ignored when debating “greatest teams ever”).
Kansas City, meanwhile, has won three Super Bowls behind Mahomes, including back-to-back titles in 2022 and 2023. (However, their blowout loss to the Eagles last February put an enormous stain on their aura.)
All in all, Barkley puts the 2024 Eagles up against just about any team in NFL history … Do YOU believe last year’s Birds are a top-five team of all-time???
