Family at forefront of Saquon Barkley’s mind

For many NFL players, the first day of the NFL Draft is a day to reflect on how their NFL careers began. New York Giants star running back Saquon Barkley has that memory, but he also has something more important to be thankful for.

Barkley’s daughter, Jada, turns 2 on Friday. In 2018, Jada was born just a couple of days before the Giants made her daddy the second overall pick in the draft.

“The first thing I think about is to become a father and the birth of my daughter,” Barkley said during a Thursday morning phone call. “Then being able to achieve another dream, be able to achieve another goal and get drafted to the NFL. To be able to hold that jersey is something a lot of kids think about. It definitely meant a lot to me.”

Barkley was available to me because he is helping to promote the work FedEx has been doing during the COVID-19 pandemic. You can learn more about that here.

Barkley is also helping to raise money for COVID-19 aid efforts by participating in the ALL IN CHALLENGE. Want to bid on the ALL IN CHALLENGE Saquon Barkley Experience? You still can, but you’ve only got about a day left. Oh, and you best have deep pockets. The experience includes tickets to a game for you and three friends, dinner with Barkley and a next-day workout.

Barkley said he “jumped in with no hesitation” when he was asked to participate.

Home in New Jersey far more than usual due to COVID-19 stay-at-home restrictions, Barkley is relishing the added time with his family.

“You definitely appreciate the time you get to spend with your family during this time,” he said. “I’m happy to be healthy and be here with my family and have my family healthy and also be able to celebrate my daughter’s birthday on Friday.”

He is, though, staying ready and is antsy to get back onto a football field.

“I’m really fortunate. I have a nice little gym set up in my basement. I’ve got pretty much everything that I would have at a facility or what I need to get the job done, to get the right work in, right training in during this time,” he said. “Just trying to stay in top-top shape as best I can.”