Saquon Barkley is battling through a couple of injuries, but as his coach said Monday, he's not going anywhere but back out onto the field.
Barkley said as much Tuesday, essentially scoffing at the idea of shutting himself down to preserve his long-term health.
"The mindset of sitting me out and resting me for the rest of the season is beyond me," Barkley said, via ESPN. "I do not agree with it. It won't happen. I'm going to keep going until I can't go no more. That's the player I am and I'm going to do it for my teammates."
If anyone questions Barkley's willingness to sacrifice for the best interest of the team, that quote will shut them down. But the New York Giants are also 2-8, just lost to the Jets 34-27 and, well, aren't making the playoffs. There isn't exactly a whole lot to play for.
There is, though, the development of Barkley's teammate Daniel Jones, which is important enough for the running back to suit up. The Giants need to see what they have in their 2019 first-round selection, and Barkley's presence makes the going easier for Jones.
There's also the job security of coach Pat Shurmur, who is in his second season at the helm but has to feel his seat getting warm. The Giants are still pouring all resources into winning the next game, and Barkley will be needed to do so.
He'll also be needed to perform better than his one-yard outing from last week against the Jets, or his 28-yard outing against the Cowboys. It's been a predictably difficult road for the runner, despite his otherworldly ability, as teams have committed to stopping him and daring Jones and Co. to beat them.
They haven't been able to do that often so far, making for a tough go for Barkley, who is far from his rookie-season pace that saw him rack up 1,307 rushing yards, 11 touchdowns and 721 receiving yards (four receiving TDs) in 2018.
There are no excuses for Barkley, though, including health. He'll continue to battle until there are no more to be fought.
"The opportunities, I just have to take advantage of the opportunities I get," Barkley said. "But to say I'm not healthy and this and that, those are just excuses. Everybody is banged up. Everyone is going through something. I'm not going to let that be an excuse for why I'm not having a successful season. The reason why I'm not having a successful season is because I'm not making enough plays for my team. And that's just it."
