Giants’ John Mara Claims Eagles Tricked Him into a Bargain Deal for Saquon Barkley

Fans of long-suffering franchises like the New York Giants know that sometimes, the only cure to NFL seasonal depression is being able to make fun of yourself and not take things too seriously.

Giants owner John Mara took a page from his fanbase’s therapy lessons on Monday when discussing ex-Giants running back Saquon Barkley’s viral commercial that seemed to troll his former team.

In a surprising revelation, New York Giants co-owner John Mara expressed frustration over what he described as being “outsmarted” by the Philadelphia Eagles in the Saquon Barkley deal. According to Mara, the Eagles managed to acquire Barkley at what he considers a bargain price, leaving the Giants feeling shortchanged in a transaction involving one of the league’s premier running backs.

Mara reportedly stated during an interview, “We thought we had a fair deal on the table, but somehow the Eagles maneuvered things to their advantage. Looking back, I can’t help but feel we got played.” The comments have stirred conversations across the NFL community, with fans and analysts speculating on the details of the deal and how the Eagles secured Barkley for what now appears to be exceptional value.

This development adds another layer to the fierce rivalry between the Giants and Eagles. Barkley, who has been a standout performer since joining the Eagles, has proven to be a game-changer, further validating Philadelphia’s strategy in acquiring him. While Mara’s remarks reflect his disappointment, they also highlight the Eagles’ front office’s shrewd negotiating skills, particularly under General Manager Howie Roseman.

As the story unfolds, all eyes will be on Barkley and the Eagles as they continue their pursuit of a Super Bowl, while the Giants are left pondering what might have been.

The Philadelphia Eagles star was featured in a hilarious ad in which he sang a lullaby to those who had trouble sleeping over football, a sassy play off of a quote Mara said about Barkley in last offseason’s Hard Knocks episode.

“I’ll have a tough time sleeping if Saquon goes to Philadelphia,” Mara told GM Joe Schoen.

Well, Mara apparently caught wind of the commercial and revealed that he called Barkley about it.

“I called him before the game and told him I was very upset with him based on our relationship of so many years,” Mara said. “And he said, ‘What do you mean?’ I said, ‘The least you could have done is ask me to be in the commercial with you.’

“I said, ‘I could have been tossing and turning and it would have been a great (thing).’ I said, ‘There is an acting gene in our family. It’s not just my nieces.’”

John Mara called Saquon Barkley and jokingly said he was “very upset” with the commercial that Barkley did, as he wanted to be featured:

“There is an acting gene in our family, it’s not just my nieces” pic.twitter.com/6V9JgmSjkh

— Giants Videos (@SNYGiants) January 6, 2025

Cue the pained laughter.

For a perhaps little-known fact, Mara is the uncle of famous actresses Kate Mara and Rooney Mara. Following his dubious handling of the Barkley and Daniel Jones situations, the Giants’ owner just made the pivotal decision to retain Brian Daboll and Schoen after a 3-14 season—we’ll see if he ends up regretting that one, too.