When New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley returned from a high ankle sprain last season, there was no denying that he had a little hitch in his giddy up.
Barkley had forced his way back onto the field several weeks earlier than his projected return date and it showed. The superstar was held to under 4.0 yards per carry for a near-two month stretch and although he refused to use the injury as an excuse, Barkley now admits it limited him significantly.
“When I first got hurt, I had it in a boot, I was in the boot for like two days,” Barkley told golfer Brooks Koepka for Nike Golf in an Instagram Live on Sunday. “My whole mindset was coming back early. I was jumping on the ‘dirt thing’ — you’re really not supposed to be doing that.
“I was trying to (test) myself to see where my strength is and how bad it actually hurts. With injuries, there’s always a deadline for everyone. Like, the high ankle sprain takes 6-8 weeks or something like that. But I wanted to try and get it moving and try to get it as good as I can to get back.”
In his first game back against the Arizona Cardinals, Barkley said his ankle got rolled up on again, but wet conditions saved him from a more serious injury. However, it continued to nag him for the remainder of the season.
“In the first game I came back I ran a rush to the right side of the field and I kinda got rolled up on it again,” Barkley said. “Luckily it was wet, it was a rainy game, so I didn’t get stuck on anything but it was just nagging. It happens.
“It was tough to deal with. Once we got to the offseason and I got some time to myself to work on it and be happy with it, it made me feel a lot better.”
Barkley did finish the season strong and ultimately ended with 1,003 yards and six touchdowns, but it was a sharp decline from his rookie campaign when he closed out the year with 1,307 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns.
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