Tiki Barber already thinks WFAN’s Spike Eskin is a traitor and he’s warning Saquon Barkley against following suit.
The New York Giants opted against using the franchise tag on Barkley this offseason, subsequently allowing the 27-year-old running back to test free agency and making their divorce seem imminent. One team interested in Barkley’s services is the Philadelphia Eagles. Skip Bayless might not care about Barkley joining the Eagles, but Barber definitely does.
Tiki calling me a traitor for leaving New York was not on my life bingo card. I’m honestly honored. pic.twitter.com/x0c65UtkPi
— Spike Eskin (@SpikeEskin) March 8, 2024
“The fact that Saquon would even contemplate going to play for that team in Philadelphia is insulting to his Giant history and legacy,” Barber said this week during his afternoon WFAN radio show with co-host Evan Roberts. “Do not go to the Philadelphia Eagles, because if you do that appreciation and respect and reverence that we all have for you, Saquon, will be lost. It’ll be gone. We want to still respect and love him.”
WFAN listeners may have picked up on the irony of Barber blasting Barkley for even considering going to New York’s rival in Philadelphia after station program director Spike Eskin recently announced plans to make the same move. Is Barber really concerned about Barkley messing up a Giants legacy that includes just one playoff win and three 1,000-yard rushing seasons? Or was Barber’s rant some misdirected energy, meant to needle Eskin for spurning WFAN after three years as program director?
“Don’t let the Howard Eskins of the world or his traitor son who is going down the road, influence you to go into the cesspool of the Philadelphia Eagles,” Barber ranted. “You’re going to turn into one of those people that we hate.”
By that measure, Barber’s current boss, Spike Eskin, has already turned into one of those people he hates. Earlier this year, Eskin announced he was departing WFAN to join Philadelphia’s 94WIP as a co-host of their afternoon show. The same show that his father Howard Eskin previously hosted for more than 25 years.
Eskin, however, is still WFAN’s program director, waiting until they find his successor before making the official move to Philly. Although he was down at Spring Training this week to yuk it up with the Phillies and make sure WIP already turned his mic on.
But Eskin should also represent a semblance of hope for Barkley if the running back was considering a similar move to Philly prior to being warned of banishment from Giants history. Before joining WFAN, Eskin was in Philly as WIP’s program director. He survived tarnishing his Philly legacy by leaving for New York and has already been welcomed back down the Turnpike with open arms. This means if Barkley goes to Philly, it might anger New York for a minute, but it doesn’t automatically close the door on him ever coming back.
Regardless, Barkley shouldn’t have too much to worry about. The worst-case scenario is that he goes to Philly and ruins a legacy in New York that really wasn’t that great to begin with. Despite his popularity, one playoff win and three relatively healthy seasons in six years isn’t exactly a tenure worthy of number retirement.
[WFAN]
