How a book taught Eagles’ Saquon Barkley not to give a damn about Derrick Henry, Christian McCaffrey

Philadelphia Eagles star Saquon Barkley is a unique talent. He marches to the beat of his own drum and refuses to do everything by the book.

But sometimes, he does. Especially when it helps him find reassurance that he is a top-tier running back in the NFL.

In a report from The Athletic’s Zach Berman, Barkley said he read “Chop Wood Carry Water” by Joshua Medcalf last season. Incidentally, it was also the book Eagles coach Nick Sirianni gave to each player before the start of this year’s training camp.

Berman said the book, which is focused on self-motivation, “stuck” with the three-time Pro Bowler.

“He’s often asked about running backs such as Christian McCaffrey and Derrick Henry and where he stands among the NFL’s best. Then, he thought about a passage about a character shooting an arrow and trying to break somebody else’s record for bullseyes before dusk. The chapter went on to discuss the illusion of controllable goals,” wrote Berman.

He quoted the 29-year-old Barkley as sharing: “I used to be like, ‘I gotta beat these guys.’ But why not make myself become the standard and worry about myself? It puts myself in a place where it’s like, I don’t focus on anybody else. I just focus on my process and let the rest take care of itself.”

In 2024, in his first year with the Eagles, the 29-year-old Barkley set league records for most rushing yards (2,504) and most scrimmage yards (2,857) in a season. He was named Offensive Player of the Year. More importantly, he won his first championship.

They, however, fell short in their title defense, with Barkley’s production taking a significant dip. But he is ready to chop wood and carry water for the Eagles once again, which should be a stern warning to Henry and McCaffrey.

Not that Barkley is thinking of them.

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