ESPNs Mike Greenberg pushes back on Saquon Barkley claiming 2024 Eagles are top-five team in NFL history

Published: Friday, May 23, 2025 at 5:48 pm

Eagles' Saquon Barkley Makes Bold Claim, ESPN's Greenberg Disagrees

Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley is riding high after his first season with the team, which culminated in a Super Bowl appearance. Barkley, speaking on the "Exciting Mics" podcast, boldly declared the 2024 Eagles a top-five team in NFL history. He highlighted their dominance on offense, defense, and special teams, emphasizing their strong performance after a shaky start to the season.

However, ESPN's Mike Greenberg isn't buying it. He believes Barkley's assessment is colored by bias and that the Eagles' accomplishments, while impressive, don't measure up to the NFL's all-time greats. Greenberg pointed to the Eagles' playoff game against the Rams, suggesting they were fortunate to win, and cited teams like the undefeated 1972 Miami Dolphins, the 1985 Chicago Bears, and the 2000 St. Louis Rams as examples of truly dominant squads.

Greenberg's colleague, Dan Graziano, also expressed skepticism, noting that a top-five team would likely have boasted the best record in the league, which the Eagles did not. Graziano acknowledged the Eagles' exceptional performance, including their Super Bowl victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, but ultimately agreed that Barkley's claim was a stretch. He added that the Eagles' success is fun to watch, and that they can say whatever they want after winning the Super Bowl.

The debate highlights the subjective nature of ranking teams across different eras. While the Eagles undoubtedly had a successful season, the question of their historical standing remains open for discussion. The true test, as Graziano points out, will be whether they can sustain their success in the upcoming season.

BNN's Perspective: While Barkley's enthusiasm is understandable, it's hard to place the 2024 Eagles in the top five of all time. The NFL has a rich history of dominant teams, and the Eagles, despite their Super Bowl appearance, haven't quite reached that level of sustained excellence. However, their performance was undeniably impressive, and they certainly deserve credit for their accomplishment.

Keywords: Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles, NFL, Mike Greenberg, ESPN, Super Bowl, top five teams, all-time greats, 2024 season, Kansas City Chiefs, Dan Graziano, football, sports, Eagles history, NFL history, Exciting Mics podcast, dominant teams, playoff game, Rams, undefeated season, 1985 Chicago Bears, 2000 St. Louis Rams.

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