Brian Westbrook and Todd Gurley II aren't fans of the Philadelphia Eagles' decision to end Saquon Barkley's pursuit of the single-season rushing record by sitting him in Week 18.

The former NFL running backs criticized the Eagles on Sunday as the team played the New York Giants with Barkley on the sideline.

Barkley will end the season 101 yards short of the all-time record Eric Dickerson set with the Los Angeles Rams in 1984.

Head coach Nick Sirianni announced Wednesday the Eagles would be sitting starters, including Barkley, after clinching the No. 2 seed in Week 17.

Gurley and Westbrook aren't the only former players to have publicly criticized the Eagles' decision.

Former New England Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi said earlier this week that he was not happy that Barkley would miss out on a shot at the record.

"I think it's something that could have been done. I just disagree so much, because I just think it was a lock," Bruschi said on ESPN's Sunday NFL Countdown. "I mean, you're playing the Giants. He averaged 10 yards a carry, I think, the last time he played them. Can you get it in the half, and get him out?"

The Eagles, who sat out Week 5, had one of the earliest byes in the NFL. The 12 consecutive games the team has played since then impacted Sirianni's decision to rest starters for game with no playoff ramifications, according to ESPN's Tim McManus.

Barkley told reporters on Wednesday that he would have been willing to go for what he called "an opportunity to implant my name in football history" against his former team, but added that he respected Sirianni's decision.

"At the end of the day, I don't care for putting the team at risk," Barkley said on Wednesday, per McManus. "He's the head coach for a reason. He makes those decisions, and whatever decision he wanted to make, I let him know if you let me play, I'm going to go out there and make sure I get it. And if I don't, I am okay with that, too."

The odds were high that Barkley could have hit the 101-yard mark against the Giants, a team that was motivated to lose for a higher draft pick.

Even without that pressure, New York has struggled to limit opposing rushing attacks this season. The Giants ranked among the bottom six rushing defenses in the NFL heading into the regular-season finale.

One former player who likely wasn't sad to see Barkley sit out on Sunday was Dickerson. The Hall of Famer has said multiple times that he hopes to remain the sole owner of the single-season rushing yards standard.