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Saquon Barkley is already in the record books thanks to his illustrious debut for the Philadelphia Eagles, becoming just the ninth player in NFL history to eclipse 2,000 rushing yards in a season this year. And yet the former New York Giants star has a chance to further his legacy when the Eagles take on the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX, not only with a ring but another all-time achievement among ball carriers.

Firstly, Barkley needs just 30 rushing yards against the Chiefs to hold the single-season record for most rushing yards in a season (playoffs included). He enters Super Bowl LIX with 2,447 through 19 games, including postseason, which is just 29 yards behind the 2,476-yard total produced by Hall of Famer Terrell Davis back in 1998, when the longtime Denver Broncos star won his second career Super Bowl.

How might Barkley also etch his name into the Super Bowl record books, perhaps as the most prolific rusher to ever grace the NFL's biggest stage? Here's a look at the top 10 Super Bowl rushing performances since the first world championship kicked off at the close of the 1966 season:

PlayerTeamSuper BowlSeasonYardsYPCTDs

Timmy Smith

Washington

XXII

1987

204

9.3
2

Marcus Allen

Raiders

XVIII

1983

191

9.5
2

John Riggins

Washington

XVII

1982

166

4.41

Franco Harris

Steelers

IX

1974

158

4.61
Terrell DavisBroncosXXXII1997
1575.23
Larry Csonka DolphinsVIII1973145
4.42

Clarence Davis

Raiders

XI

1976

137

8.60
Thurman Thomas BillsXXV1990135
9.01
Emmitt Smith CowboysXXVIII1993132
4.42
Michael Pittman BuccaneersXXXVII20021244.30

All but one of the top 10 Super Bowl rushers, it should be noted, also won the big game, with Thomas the lone star running back to suffer defeat in spite of his record performance. Smith, who holds the all-time record for Super Bowl rushing yards, was also the unlikeliest of the bunch, making an emergency start against the Denver Broncos as a rookie injury replacement. Allen, Riggins, Harris and Davis, meanwhile, all won Super Bowl MVPs for their efforts, with Davis earning a special spot in history, thanks to his three-touchdown line, and despite missing a whole quarter against the Green Bay Packers with a migraine.

Here are some other single-game Super Bowl records involving running backs:

FeatPlayerTeamSuper BowlSeasonRecord

Total yards

Timmy Smith

Washington

XXII

1987

213

Rushing TDs

Terrell Davis

Broncos

XXXII

1997

3

As far as total touchdowns (combined rushing and receiving), four different running backs are tied with the Super Bowl record (3 TDs): James White (Patriots, 2017); Terrell Davis (Broncos, 1997); Ricky Watters (49ers, 1994); and Roger Craig (Cowboys, 1984).

How likely is it that Barkley can make his way into the top 10 rushing yards list? It may require the Eagles' vaunted offensive line to win their battles against the Chiefs, seeing as Kansas City enters Super Bowl LIX with a top-10 run defense. But eclipsing, say, 125 yards on the ground -- which would give Barkley a place among the top 10 rushers in Super Bowl history -- wouldn't be unfamiliar territory for the All-Pro playmaker. He's hit that mark seven different times during the 2024 season, including playoffs.

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Cody Benjamin
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Clearing Smith's all-time Super Bowl game record of 204 rushing yards? It'd be historic, obviously, but also not an unprecedented feat for Barkley when considering his Eagles success; he racked up 255 yards -- the ninth-highest single-game mark of all time -- for Philadelphia in a Week 12 win over the Los Angeles Rams. He's also cleared 150 rushing yards on four occasions this season, including playoffs.