Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley has voiced his strong support for Major League Baseball players who are opposing the owners' proposal of a salary cap. Barkley, who has personal experience with contract disputes in a salary-capped sport, believes players should be compensated fairly for their physical sacrifices.
"Whatever is best for the players, I’m with that. Whatever is for the players," Barkley told Fox News Digital. "I get how the owners have the power and stuff like this, but we go out there and sacrifice our bodies. Athletes go out there and sacrifice their bodies. I’m not under the pressure of, ‘Oh, you’re an athlete. Go out there and do what you’re told.’ I don’t get with that at all. You should be compensated for what you’re doing, and however way you should be, that’s how it should be."
MLB owners have put forth a salary cap proposal for the first time since 1994. The players, however, have remained firm, stating that a salary cap is non-negotiable. Barkley echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that players should benefit from their athletic endeavors.
Barkley acknowledged that athletes in other sports might feel a degree of envy towards the large, uncapped contracts seen in baseball, which currently does not have a salary cap. He stated that in the NFL, running backs have historically faced challenges, with the position often undervalued despite significant contributions. He recalled his own experience after rushing for 2,000 yards and earning an Offensive Player of the Year award, only to be subsequently not paid by the New York Giants.
He suggested that achieving similar compensation structures in the NFL requires further effort and vocalization from players. "I don’t know if that’s going to happen for us. I think we’ve got a little more work to do for that. We’ve got to continue to be more vocal. We’ve got to continue to educate ourselves on it," Barkley said. "But yeah, I’m all for the players, and what the players think is great for them, I agree with it."
MBL is facing the possibility of an owners' lockout if a new collective bargaining agreement is not reached by December 1. The salary cap remains a central point of contention between the league and the players' union, with significant disagreements on the issue.
