Fans react to Saquon Barkley wearing his NY Giants jersey at the NHL Stadium Series
If you are a NY Giants fan, you have to be excited about the NHL Stadium Series' Islanders-Rangers game that took place at MetLife Stadium, and it's not because of the outcome, but the events that took place before the puck dropped.
Both New York football teams sent representatives to help welcome the Islanders and Rangers to their home in East Rutherford at the start of the game. For the G-Men, running back Saquon Barkley, wide receiver Sterling Shepard and quarterback Tommy DeVito were in attendance, repping their Giants' jerseys. This had a lot of Big Blue fans excited about the possibility of retaining their star running back, who is one of the hottest free agents on the open market this offseason - if the G-Men don't tag him that is.
#Jets and #Giants at the #StadiumSeries at MetLife—
— Jennifer X. Williams (@JenXperience) February 18, 2024
Elijah Vera Tucker, Breece Hall, CJ Mosley, Quinnen Williams, Sterling Shepherd, Saquon Barkley, Tommy DeVito...
Soloman Thomas: "#Rangers and #Islanders fans—welcome to our side, our house—today, this is your house..." pic.twitter.com/a05YLbGXJ5
Hockey games are really lit!!
— Saquon Barkley (@saquon) February 18, 2024
Giants fans react to Saquon repping Big Blue at the NHL Stadium Series
Ironically, all three players are not guaranteed to return to the Giants for the 2024 season. Saquon could walk in free agency, while Shepard won't be back and is likely retiring. DeVito's future is uncertain and he knows the team could look to replace him via the NFL Draft. Obviously, the biggest storyline for the G-Men this offseason will be where Barkley will play next season. The two-time Pro Bowler has come out and said he wants to be a Giant for life on multiple occasions.
Many Giants fans started to believe that Saquon repping his jersey at MetLife Stadium could be a sign that he plans to re-sign with the team. The fans loved seeing Barkley back at MetLife Stadium and expressed their excitement on social media about the possibility of Barkley returning for the long haul:
Does this mean your Resigning🥺
— 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙗𝙤𝙙𝙚𝙖𝙪𝙭.𝙨𝙯𝙣 (@thibodeaux_szn) February 19, 2024
Only in NY though. You gotta stay
— IBettor (@TheFan404) February 19, 2024
so you resigning ? or you leaving us for a chip? pic.twitter.com/gJNURfhuuw
— kev🃏 (@nykbj1) February 18, 2024
Saquon Barkley, Sterling Shepard and Tommy DeVito of the Giants are in attendance at MetLife Stadium for the NHL’s Stadium Series with the Rangers and Islanders playing on Sunday.
— Doug Rush (@TheDougRush) February 18, 2024
Given Saquon’s pending free agency, it seems pretty clear what his intentions are; to “be a Giant… pic.twitter.com/dL7CXxekV9
Saquon in the giants jersey maybe he fr staying
— Anthony (@NYG_Tri) February 18, 2024
i’m positive this means nothing but weird that Saquon’s jersey is the only one with the Giants logo on it!! https://t.co/ctQaclqpTd
— _ (@dis_dier) February 18, 2024
The Giants could have sent anyone to the Islanders-Rangers game to represent the team on Sunday, but they chose Barkley because they view him as someone they would like to continue to build their team around, and it doesn't hurt that he happens to be a big hockey fan. It makes sense that the team would ask Shepard and DeVito to attend too.
Shepard is someone they would like to use as an ambassador for the team going forward, and DeVito is a New Jersey native, but they didn't have to ask Barkley to attend on their behalf. If this was a way that the veteran running back was trying to send a message to Big Blue Nation, then it has certainly opened plenty of eyes.
Regardless, the ball is in the hands of Giants general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll to either franchise tag No. 26 again or sign him to a deserving long-term contract to keep him in New York for the remainder of his professional career. For now, it will be an eventful offseason for the New York Giants, who will look to return to the playoffs and bounce back from their frustrating 2023 campaign. Will Barkley be part of the plans? We should find out soon.
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