Another chapter in the Saquon Barkley story will be written on Thursday night when the star running back faces his former team again. But explosive details from Barkley’s journey to this point were revealed before the Eagles square off with the Giants at MetLife Stadium.

Barkley’s Amazon Prime Video documentary, “Saquon,” was released on Thursday morning. The documentary was filmed over the course of nearly five years — from the time he underwent ACL surgery in 2020 to tense contract negotiations with the Giants to signing with the Eagles.

Speaking with reporters on Tuesday, Barkley called the documentary “a cool view” on his life “through the ups and the downs, battling adversity, the business side of it.” And after watching the documentary, there’s a lot of that to parse through.

Here’s what stood out from “Saquon” — from his journey of feeling underappreciated in New York to breaking records and winning a Super Bowl with the Eagles.

“It was a joke”

Barkley, the former Penn State star, was drafted No. 2 overall by the Giants in 2018. While on his rookie deal, he came back from a torn ACL and helped the Giants reach the playoffs in 2022. In November 2022, Barkley wanted a new contract to stay in New York long-term — and he wanted to be compensated like the NFL’s highest-paid running back.

Barkley turned down the first contract offer by the Giants: $18 million guaranteed on a three-year deal. He later softened his stance about being the highest-paid back in the league. But that initial offer wasn’t going to cut it. The first game after declining the Giants’ offer, Barkley logged a career-high 35 carries in a win over the Houston Texans.

“It was a joke. It was a spit in my face,” Barkley said of the negotiations. “And then we come out and they give me the ball 35 times? Like they really don’t appreciate me to be completely honest. They think they’re trying to run me into the dirt, getting what they can get, hopefully something bad happens and then he (expletive) goes somewhere else.”

“Why can’t I be traded?”

Days after being franchise tagged by the Giants in March 2023, Barkley had a conversation with Giants general manager Joe Schoen. The tag would have guaranteed $10.1 million for the 2023 season, but Barkley wanted $14 or $14.5 million. So, he floated the possibility of being traded.

“You sure you think this is the right course of action?” Schoen said, before saying Giants owner John Mara won’t trade him. “And even if he was going to trade you, it’s hard for a team, and this is just from my seat, it’s hard to give up a first or a second-round pick and then you also have to pay a player a bunch of money. It’s hard for teams to do that. And I wouldn’t give you away.”

Barkley: “I just don’t understand why, if we can’t get a deal done, why can’t I be traded?”

Schoen later said: “John’s not going to do it.”

“I’m stuck”

In July 2023, Barkley’s frustration reached its height. On the final day for franchise-tagged players to sign long-term extensions, cameras show a conversation between Barkley and Mara, during which he asked the Giants’ owner if he could seek a trade.

Barkley: “Clearly, I don’t think we’re going to get to a place where we can agree to a deal. So would you allow me permission to seek a trade?”

Mara: “No, Saquon. I’m not going to do that. That makes no sense for us. To be honest with you, it’s not going to be in your long-term best interests to do that. There’s no way that I’m going to allow that, to trade you. At this point, no. You’re too valuable to this franchise.”

Barkley: “I want to be here. You’re telling me you want me to be a Giant for life. I’m telling you I want to be a Giant for life. But the negotiations and the contracts that are being sent don’t really feel like they’re matching that same energy. I don’t want to go nowhere else. I don’t want to be nowhere else. But I also feel like I’m stuck.”

Barkley eventually signed a one-year deal worth up to $11 million. He rushed for 962 yards and six touchdowns in 14 games. The Giants went 6-11, failing to return to the playoffs.

“A new legacy”

In March 2024, Barkley’s situation was clear. The Giants weren’t going to try to franchise tag him for a second time, but they also weren’t champing at the bit to sign him to a massive deal. New York allowed Barkley to test the market as a free agent.

The doc shows Barkley fielding a call from his agent, who informed him Howie Roseman and the Eagles were offering more guaranteed money than he even expected. Philadelphia offered Barkley a three-year deal worth up to $46.75 million with $26 million guaranteed.

Barkley smiled and urged his agent to send the contract over ASAP.

“I get to create a new legacy,” Barkley said.

And create a new legacy he did, rushing for 2,005 yards in the regular season, earning NFL Offensive Player of the Year honors and hoisting the Lombardi Trophy.

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