Saquon Barkley, Tommy DeVito Not Exactly Bummed to See Eagles, Cowboys Bounced From Playoffs

The New York Giants didn’t make the playoffs this season, but wild-card weekend certainly unfolded in their favor.

The NFC East rival Dallas Cowboys were throttled 48–32 in front of a home crowd by the underdog Green Bay Packers, and the Philadelphia Eagles were sent packing after stumbling to a 32–9 loss against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

“Yeah, I think if you’re a true Giants fan, obviously you’re upset with the way the season went,” Giants running back Saquon Barkley said in an exclusive interview with Sports Illustrated’s Robin Lundberg. “But to see the first wild-card round weekend and see the Eagles and Dallas get knocked out in the first round, it definitely does help.”

After winning nine games and upsetting the Minnesota Vikings in the wild-card round last year, the Giants endured injury issues and finished 6–11 in 2023. They were officially eliminated from playoff contention in Week 16, but it’s not all doom and gloom in East Rutherford, N.J.

“It shows that the NFC East is really up for grabs,” Barkley said of Philadelphia and Dallas losing this past weekend. “Just got to get everything right for next year and you’ve got a real shot at winning the whole thing.”

Giants quarterback Tommy DeVito, who became a viral sensation this season while starting six games under center, uttered a similar remark.

“For Giants fans, like [Barkley] said, it’s the best case scenario to see those two teams knocked out early,” DeVito told Lundberg. “It was good for Giants nation.”

Barkley, 26, will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason after spending six years with the Giants. 

DeVito is under contract for next season and will be in the Giants’ quarterbacks room alongside Daniel Jones, unless the front office goes in a different direction this spring.