Saquon Barkley managed to find a way to stick it to his former team, the New York Giants, even though he was not playing against them. Barkley starred in a series of ads for sleep aid product Unisom, where he poked fun at a moment from “Hard Knocks: Offseason with the New York Giants” involving team owner John Mara. In the ads posted to Barkley’s Instagram, he played off Mara’s remarks about possibly having trouble sleeping if Barkley joined the Philadelphia Eagles. Barkley suggested that Giants fans try Unisom to help them sleep, stating that he himself would sleep like a baby.
In another ad, Barkley referenced his 2,000-plus yard rushing season and again teased his former team. With the release of the social media campaign just days before the Giants and Eagles faced off for the second time that season, it added an extra layer of rivalry to the match. Despite being tongue in cheek, the ads likely hit home for the Giants considering Barkley’s successful season with the Eagles after signing a multi-million dollar contract. Barkley is just a few yards short of breaking Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record, though he was expected to sit out the upcoming game against the Giants.
Unisom CMO Claudine Patel revealed that the company reached out to Barkley’s reps after the viral moment involving John Mara on “Hard Knocks” and Barkley was excited about the idea. The ads leveraged social media and Barkley’s fandom to create a fun and lighthearted campaign that resonated with fans. Despite the success Barkley has had with the Eagles, he maintained that he had love and respect for his former team and the people who helped him during his time with the Giants. He expressed that breaking the rushing record against the Giants would have been special, but it was not meant to be.
Barkley’s dominant performance with the Eagles this season has put him on the brink of surpassing an NFL rushing record. With 2,005 rushing yards, he is 101 yards away from breaking Eric Dickerson’s single-season record. Although he missed the opportunity to set the record against the Giants, Barkley remains focused on bigger goals ahead, including preparing for the playoffs. The ads featuring Barkley and his witty jabs at the Giants were a humorous way to engage with fans and poke fun at the rivalry between the two teams. Despite the playful nature of the campaign, Barkley’s success this season speaks for itself and adds an interesting dynamic to his ongoing rivalry with his former team.
