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Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkleyfound himself at the center of an unexpected political storm this week-not for a play on the field, but for a casual round of golf. Barkley spent part of his weekend golfing with former President Donald Trump at his New Jersey club, only to receive a flood of criticism across social media platforms.
The outing took place just one day before the Eagles' scheduled visit to the White House to celebrate their Super Bowl win.
Fans coin harsh nicknames for Barkley
While Barkley has previously golfed with President Barack Obama with little to no controversy, his outing with Trump prompted a different kind of reaction. Social media s wasted no time asg him biting new nicknames. From "Magaquon Barkley" to the harsher "Saqoon" and even "Slavequon," fans flooded X (formerly Twitter) with ridicule and memes aimed at the running back.
"Man was eating wit Trump now they calling him Slavequon ," wrote one . Another added, "SaCOON nah that's damn near my favorite player right after Jalen." The online mockery grew so widespread it quickly began trending within NFL circles.
Barkley claps back at critics
Unwilling to let the commentary slide, Barkley responded on X. "Some people are really upset cause I golfed and flew to the White House with the PRESIDENT," he wrote. "Maybe I just respect the office, not a hard concept to understand. Just golfed with Obama not too long ago...and look forward to finishing my round with Trump! Now ya get out my mentions with all this politics and have amazing day ."
Barkley made it clear that his presence with both Obama and Trump is about respecting the presidency, not taking sides politically. But the backlash suggests many fans don't see it that way.
Politics and football still don't mix well
Barkley's attempt to stay above partisan lines is not new in the NFL, but the strong reactions show just how sensitive public perception can be. Whether fans will move on-or whether Barkley's nickname lingers, remains to be seen. For now, the Eagles star may be wishing his golf weekend had stayed under the radar.