Saquon Barkley is the heart and soul of the New York Giants

The New York Giants are beginning a new era for their franchise and may have officially found their undisputed new leader.

The recent loss to the Detroit Lions left a bad taste in many members of the New York Giants. A fourth straight loss that was highlighted by costly decisions and more turnovers that affected not only rookie Daniel Jones but also team co-captain Saquon Barkley.

The Giants have been led in the past by different personalities on either side of the football. The latest leader and heart of the team moving forward is the all-pro running back. Barkley is only in his second season, but he’s already shown on the field to be the team’s best player and maturity to make him a role model. After only missing three weeks due to a severe ankle injury, Barkley is showing his commitment to the team and dedication to winning.

A reputation for working hard every play helped to make him offensive rookie of the year last season. He converted on rushing and receiving plays all season and became a lethal weapon for opposing defense, trying to take down his strong frame. The attention to detail has also proved to be a big part of Barkley’s game as he is rarely the cause for issues on the Giants’ offense.

Early in the first quarter of last Sunday’s loss to the Lions, Jones’ backward pass was considered a fumbled lateral and returned for a touchdown. The play was broken and weighed heavy on Barkley for not attempting to recover the loose ball. He spoke about the situation with reporters after the game taking full responsibility for the mishap.

"​“There’s no excuse,” Barkley said. “That’s not who I am. That’s not the type of player I am. That’s not the reason why I’m a captain. I have to have a better effort on that play. Coach [Craig] Johnson stresses that all the time: When you are the swings, and the ball goes down, just in case, cover it, cover it, cover it!”"

"“With the form and how it came out, I just thought that it couldn’t be a fumble,” Barkley said. “Even [Kennard] and I, we both kind of broke down a little bit. Chilled. And he got to the ball quicker than me. I have to find a way to make that tackle or push him out of bounds. You never know.”"

The willingness to take ownership of the accident is another example of leadership and growth. Barkley may only be in his second season, but he’s already shown the maturity of a veteran that is focused on leading his team to better days in the future.