WATCH: Eli Manning tells hilarious story of argument with Saquon Barkley in his rookie season
When Saquon Barkley was a rookie in 2018, Eli Manning had to dole out some tough love in one particular teaching moment. Barkley joined the Manningcast on ESPN for Monday night’s contest between Denver and Seattle, where he and Eli shared a few laughs as they looked back on the memory.
“He deserved it,” Eli Manning said of Barkely. “I told him what the route was and he was like, ‘No, I think I have this route.’ I’m like, ‘Saquon, I know what route you have. If I tell you to run a certain route, you go ahead and run it. If I tell you tomorrow’s Easter, go paint some eggs.'”
Barkley admitted on the broadcast that he made a mistake in that instance, and the experience helped him to realize that Manning was just there to help him.
“I was so sure,” Barkely said. “I thought I had him on this one, but he was right. Like I said, at that time me being a rookie and you got the vet, I kind of just laughed it off and let him get away with that one.”
Barkley went on to earn the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year award that season, rushing for 1,307 yards and 11 touchdowns while also catching 91 passes for 721 yards and four scores. He has yet to surpass those numbers since then. However, he did get off to a hot start in Week 1 of 2022, rushing for a league-best 164 yards and a touchdown in a 21-20 victory against Tennessee.
Manning has since retired from the NFL, as his last season came in 2019. He will hope that Saquon Barkley can continue to get better with the lessons that he taught him as a rookie. The Giants next face the Panthers at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday in Week 2.