The Eagles Have Ruled 11 Players Out For Week 18 Game
01/05/2025 12:03 PM
As expected, the Philadelphia Eagles are sitting several key players for an inconsequential Week 18 game against the New York Giants.
The Eagles will begin the postseason as the NFC's No. 2 seed regardless of Sunday's outcome. As a result, they're using their final game as a de facto bye week for some stars before hosting the Green Bay Packers or Washington Commanders in the opening round.
Before the game's 1 p.m. ET kickoff, the Eagles declared 11 marquee players inactive for the division clash. Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley, A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Lane Johnson, Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson, Jalen Carter, Nakobe Dean, Zack Baun, and Darius Slay will all sit on Sunday.
While most of those players are getting scheduled rest, Hurts also missed Philadelphia's Week 17 win over the Dallas Cowboys. He's yet to clear concussion protocol, so his status for the Wild Card Round remains unclear.
Kenny Pickett is active, but third-string quarterback Tanner McKee will make his first career NFL start.
Fans may also be disappointed to see Saquon Barkley inactive. He'll finish the season 100 yards shy of Eric Dickerson's single-season rushing record.
After six seasons with the New York Giants, Barkley collected 2,005 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns in 16 games for Philadelphia. He tallied 187 yards and a touchdown in a Week 7 return to MetLife Stadium, but the 27-year-old won't get the chance to dish out more revenge against his former team.
"It kind of would have been a full-circle moment, but at the end of the day it wasn't in God's plan," Barkley said earlier this week, per ESPN's Tim McManus. "I've got bigger things in mind, and we get a chance to rest and get ready to roll for the playoffs."
Sirianni cited Philadelphia's early Week 5 bye when explaining his decision to rest some players. However, he understood the significance of Barkley chasing a "very special record."
"It wasn't the easiest decision to go through, but we have great people in this building and had a lot of input from a lot of people, players included," Sirianni said.
Philadelphia's decision could also impact the top of the 2025 NFL Draft board. The Giants fell from the first to fourth pick after defeating the Indianapolis Colts last Sunday, and they could dip as low as ninth with a Week 18 win.
Related: Eagles Announce Their Week 18 Decision On Saquon Barkley
