Hall of Fame running back Eric Dickerson might not respond particularly kindly when asked if Saquon Barkley may have broken his mark for most rushing yards in a single season. But he’s definitely honest about potentially getting to the top of the record book.

“I don’t think he’ll make it,” Dickerson told Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times. “Do I want him to break it? Absolutely not.”

Barkley is 268 yards shy of Dickerson’s record of 2,105 yards, which he set with the Los Angeles Rams during the 1984 season. The Philadelphia Eagles have two games left on their regular season schedule, giving Barkley a chance to overtake Dickerson.

With 1,838 yards, the seven-year veteran needs to average 133.5 yards over the last two games to reach the all-time mark. Barkley has exceeded that number in six of his 15 games this season. With quarterback Jalen Hurts out with a concussion, the Eagles may be able to rely more on their ground game against the Dallas Cowboys.

Dickerson is also quick to point out that if Barkley does indeed surpass him, he would do so in 17 regular-season games – one more than Dickerson played in 1984.

“I won’t compromise on that. But I’m not complaining about it,” he added. “He had to play 17 games? Hey, football is football. That’s how I see it.”

If Barkley doesn’t pass Dickerson for the single-season rushing mark, he can still join an exclusive club of NFL running backs who have gained 2,000 yards. Eight others have rushed for 2,000 yards or more in a season. Most recently, Derrick Henry gained 2,027 yards with the Tennessee Titans in 2020. OJ Simpson was the first to break the 2,000-yard mark with the Buffalo Bills in 1973 – in 14 games.

Here is the current list of 2,000 rushers:

Eric Dickerson – 2,105 (1984)
Adrian Peterson – 2,097 (2012)
Jamal Lewis – 2,066 (2003)
Barry Sanders – 2,053 (1997)
Derrick Henry – 2,027 (2020)
Terrell Davis – 2,008 (1998)
Chris Johnson – 2,006 (2009)
OJ Simpson – 2,003 (1973)

Dickerson is also aware that Barkley could make the difference against the New York Giants, the team that released Barkley as a free agent. That would likely feel like redemption for Barkley and add another embarrassing note to a miserable 2024 for the Giants.

“How ironic it would be for him to break the record against them, the team that let him go,” Dickerson said. “A real slap in the face.”