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Ryan Dunleavy Makes Infamous ‘Loaded Backfield’ Tweet Into A Poster, Asks Saquon Barkley To Rip It Up

If there’s one thing Penn State Twitter excels at, it’s hanging on to tweets that didn’t age well — so much so that three years after his infamous “loaded backfield” tweet first graced the interwebs, former Rutgers beat writer Ryan Dunleavy sought forgiveness from Saquon Barkley in the most Ryan Dunleavy way possible.

For those who need a refresher, Dunleavy tweeted in 2015 that he wasn’t sure where Barkley would fit in the Scarlet Knights’ loaded backfield. Chaos ensued, and to be honest, it never really faded away.

But Dunleavy wanted redemption.

This tweet was such a defining moment in his career that he printed it out on a 20″ x 30″ poster. He then took it to the Giants’ media availability and posted up to ask Barkley about what the rookie called “The Tweet.”

“That’s funny,” Barkley said. “I remember seeing it. It got sent to me. Obviously people make their opinions and have their comments, and I really never acknowledged it. With Tweets, I maybe favorite it or send it to myself as a sidenote, but I do remember seeing this Tweet.”

Dunleavy recalled sending the tweet as Barkley took his first touch of a week 3 matchup with Rutgers at Beaver Stadium. That one night alone would have made Dunleavy look stupid enough, as Barkley rounded out the evening with 195 rushing yards and two scores as Penn State won by 25 points.

Unfortunately for Dunleavy, Barkley followed up that Rutgers game with an outstanding collegiate career. He gained more than 5,000 yards from scrimmage, scored 51 touchdowns, and won a Big Ten championship in 2016 before being drafted second overall to the NFL.

So what do you do when you tweeted something egregious about a golden boy like Saquon Barkley? Well, if you’re Ryan Dunleavy, you print it on a poster and ask him to rip it up…apparently.

Barkley told Dunleavy he’d tell Penn State Twitter to lay off, but we’ll see what happens. Penn State’s fanbase may never forgive Dunleavy for the tweet, but either way, he’s rewarded now with the opportunity to cover the once-in-a-generation talent on Sundays in the NFL.

In his own video, Dunleavy acknowledged Barkely is the next face of the Giants. Oh, how the turn tables.

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About the Author

Mikey Mandarino

In the most upsetting turn of events, Mikey graduated from Penn State with a digital & print journalism degree in the spring of 2020. He covered Penn State football and served as an editor for Onward State from 2018 until his graduation. Mikey is from Bedminster, New Jersey, so naturally, he spends lots of time yelling about all the best things his home state has to offer. Mikey also loves to play golf, but he sucks at it because golf is really hard. If you, for some reason, feel compelled to see what Mikey has to say on the internet, follow him on Twitter @Mikey_Mandarino. You can also get in touch with Mikey via his big-boy email address: [email protected]

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