Super Bowl LIX: Saquon Barkley breaks NFL record as Philadelphia Eagles dominate Kansas City Chiefs in first half

Saquon Barkley broke a 26-year-old NFL record on the final play of a dominant first half for the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX, who went into the locker room 24-0 up against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Barkley came into the New Orleans clash against the Kansas City Chiefs off the back of one of the best seasons in the sport’s history when he became just the ninth player to rush for 2,000 yards during the regular season.

Barkley – who is celebrating his 28th birthday today – continued this red-hot for in the playoffs, adding another 442 post-season rushing yards to his total for the 2024 season. This put him just 30 yards shy of former Denver Broncos running back Terrell Davis’ 1998 mark of 2,447 combined regular and post-season rushing yards, which was the most in NFL history.

But despite the Eagles’ first-half dominance, Barkley had a quiet opening 30 minutes, rushing 12 times for just 31 yards. However, his two-yard rush on the final play of the half put him past Davis’ record, capping a dazzling first half for the Eagles in one of the most one-sided opening halves in Super Bowl history.

Jalen Hurts put the Eagles 7-0 when he rushed for a one-yard touchdown in the first quarter, before Jake Elliott added a 48-yard field goal. Cooper Dejean’s 38-yard interception return put the NFC champions 17-0 up, and they would capitalise on another Patrick Mahomes interception, with Hurts finding AJ Brown for 12-yard score.

Former New York Giant Barkley was named the NFL Offensive Player of the Year during Thursday night’s NFL Honors ceremony and came third in the NFL MVP voting.

This is Barkley’s first Super Bowl, with the 2018 first-round draft pick having played just two playoff games during his six seasons with the Giants.

The Eagles snapped Barkley up during free agency last year, signing him to a three-year $37.75million deal, with this current campaign being the most productive of his career so far.