In what might be one of the most savage moves of the NFL season, former New York Giants star Saquon Barkley has taken his talents—and his grievances—to Unisom’s latest ad campaign. And yes, it’s as pointed as you’re imagining.
Barkley, now a Philadelphia Eagle (and NFC East champion), wasted no time twisting the knife in a lullaby-styled commercial that seems directly aimed at his former boss, Giants owner John Mara.
The ad riffs on a moment from Hard Knocks: Offseason with the New York Giants, where Mara famously said, “I’ll have a tough time sleeping if Saquon goes to Philadelphia.” Well, not only did Barkley end up in Eagles green, but he also rushed for over 2,000 yards this season while his former team limped to a 3-13 record.
To add insult to injury, Barkley didn’t just leave it at outperforming his old squad. No, he turned Mara’s offseason nightmare into the theme of a snarky ad campaign that’s got Giants fans feeling the burn—and maybe looking up a few sleep aids themselves.
Saquon Barkley's lullaby is John Mara's nightmare
In the commercial, Barkley lounges in bed, visibly unbothered and well-rested, as he delivers this poetic roast:
“I heard some of you were having trouble sleeping, so I wrote you a lullaby:
‘Rockabye baby, awake in your bed,
As the thought of two thousand swirls in your head.
It sure is tough to lose sleep over football,
Not for me, though. Goodnight to you all.’”
The ad closes with Barkley cheekily advising viewers to “try counting sheep,” as a cartoon lamb that looks suspiciously like him leaps across the screen. If Mara wasn’t tossing and turning before, he probably is now. Savage.
For the Giants, this is just another embarrassing chapter in a season that has been full of them. Giants general manager Joe Schoen's decision to let Barkley walk in free agency and replace him with rookie Tyrone Tracy Jr. wasn’t just a misstep—it’s become a glaring indictment of the team’s decision-makers.
Schoen’s gamble to avoid paying Barkley “running back money” has backfired spectacularly. The Giants sit at the bottom of the standings while Barkley has not only dominated on the field but also in the NFL’s MVP conversation.
To make matters worse, the timing of the ad couldn’t be more perfect for Barkley and more brutal for Big Blue. With the Giants gearing up for a meaningless Week 18 game against the Eagles, Barkley will be resting alongside other Philly starters as they prepare for the playoffs.
While Barkley’s ad might be tongue-in-cheek, the sting it leaves is real. He’s thriving on a division rival, racking up records, and cashing in endorsement deals, while the Giants are stuck in rebuild purgatory.
Watching Barkley excel in Philly Green while openly trolling the organization that undervalued him? That’s the kind of thing that sticks with a fanbase—and maybe even haunts a front office. First, it was letting Barkley take his talents to Philly, then it was the planes flying over MetLife Stadium, and now it's Barkley's savage ad roasting his former team—Schoen is on the hook for all the embarrassment.
As much as Giants fans would love to brush off Barkley’s ad as petty, it’s a glaring reminder of what the team lost. And if Mara really is losing sleep over it, can you blame him? This latest public humiliation at the Giants' expense could force his hand into making sweeping changes.