Saquon Barkley has one message as he tries to downplay Giants showdown

PHILADELPHIA — John Mara’s worst nightmare stood in front of his stall inside the Eagles locker room in advance of Sunday’s game against his former team and was asked, “What does this game mean to you?’’ “I don’t know,’’ Saquon Barkley said.“I’m still processing that.

Obviously, there is some history there, for sure.Especially going back there, it will be interesting.

I don’t have an exact answer … [but] I do know my mindset [is] that I don’t have to prove anything to them.’’ Them. The Giants are them. Mara is the owner of them and famously was recorded on camera in HBO’s “Hard Knocks’’ saying, “I’ll have a hard time sleeping if Saquon goes to Philadelphia.’’ Barkley was selected second overall in the 2018 NFL Draft by them, played six seasons with them and signed with Philadelphia this offseason after the Giants didn’t offer him a contract he felt was fair. You know the history: Then-general manager Dave Gettleman said Barkley was “touched by the hand of God’’ and that he pictured him one day “putting on a gold jacket’’ as he’s inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. In his six seasons with the Giants, Barkley rushed for 5,211 yards and 35 touchdowns.Not Hall of Fame numbers, but certainly exemplary. What unfortunately wasn’t exemplary during his tenure with the team was the Giants’ record: 34-64 with only one playoff berth. At the end of the day, for as popular as Barkley was representing himself with class and grace as the face of the franchise, he wasn’t enough of a difference-maker in the win-loss columns.

So, the Giants made a business decision the same way Barkley did. The romantics among us — John Mara at the head of the pack — wanted Barkley to remain a Giant for life. “Me and John … Mr.Mara … we have a great relationship,’’ Barkley told The Post.

“But I haven’t talked to him since I left.’’ Sunday at MetLife Stadium between the 2-4 Mara Giants...