Not all records are intended to be broken, at least according to Eric Dickerson. As Saquon Barkley approaches his NFL single-season rushing record of 2,105 yards, Dickerson — who has been harnessing competitive emotions since 1984 — is clearly feeling the pressure. On Dec. 29, the outstanding running back for the Philadelphia Eagles broke the 2,000-yard mark with a season-high 31 rushes for 167 yards. Barkley is just 101 yards away from breaking the 40-year-old Hall of Famer’s record with 2,005 yards on 345 carries this season.
“These people who say, ‘records are meant to be broken,’ you ain’t got no record,” Dickerson told USA TODAY Sports on Dec. 29. “You don’t have one. When you get those records, you want to hang on to them. No matter if it was in bowling and you had 30 strikes in a row, you don’t want nobody to break that. The fastest mile ever, you don’t want nobody to break that. Those are true accomplishments. You can always look back and that record’s been held for 40 years now.”
These comments come after Barkley ripped off his 11th 100-yard game of the season at the expense of the Dallas Cowboys on Dec. 29. He has a great chance to secure his 12th of the season and breaking the 40-year-old record against the New York Giants on Jan. 5. The fact that this matchup is against his former team who refused to pay him adds little added motivation to break the record.
Dickerson has no issue with Barkley, though, but he would want to see his 1984 record last a bit longer. If the record is broken, Dickerson can find a little comfort in the fact that he broke the previous record of 2,003 yards set by O.J. Simpson in a 16-game season. Dickerson — the star of the Los Angeles Rams — broke Simpson’s record in the fifteenth game, and it will take Barkley at least 17 games to break Dickerson’s record.
The stage is set for a record-breaking end of the regular season. The game — in the grand scheme of things — is pointless because the Eagles have already clinched the No. 2 seed in the NFC. However, to be able to make NFL history — and to do it against your former team — might just be too enticing to pass up. Either way, this will be an unforgettable season for Dickerson and Barkley.
