Giants' Saquon Barkley: 'I Don't Want to Make Any Excuses' for Slow Start to Season

Saquon Barkley's struggles through the first three weeks of the 2021 season are understandable, given he's coming off an ACL tear.

Just don't tell him that. 

Barkley told reporters Thursday:

"I don't want to make any excuses. I'm not going to do that throughout this whole season. I'm never going to make any excuses. The expectation that people have for me, it's not even close to the expectation I have for myself -- and it never will be as long as I play football or whatever I do after football. That is just my mindset."

The Giants running back has accumulated just 134 yards on the ground through the first three weeks, averaging 3.4 yards per carry. He's also added just nine catches for 56 yards as the Giants have lost their first three games. 

Injuries have derailed Barkley's career since he compiled 2,028 total yards during his brilliant rookie season. He went down with a high-ankle sprain in 2019 and then tore his ACL two games into the 2020 campaign. Despite still not regularly practicing as a full participant, Barkley managed to ready himself for Week 1.

He said Thursday: 

"I hold myself to a high standard. I know this team holds me to a high standard. I know a lot of people hold me to a high standard. Like I always say, I set my own expectations. Right now, I just have to keep working, keep growing, keep improving.

"I know what I'm coming off of. My mom and dad try to make me understand I'm coming off a knee injury. Try to teach me patience in there. I just have to keep being patient with it. I have to keep getting better and keep trusting it, trusting the process and keep working."

Patience isn't likely coming from a Giants fanbase desperate for a winner. The franchise hasn't made the playoffs since 2016 and is on pace for its eighth losing season in nine years. 

With general manager Dave Gettleman and head coach Joe Judge firmly on the hot seat, Barkley has several people relying on him to pick up his performance.