Chris Bumbaca | USA TODAY

USA TODAY

New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley already has authored an impressive list of accomplishments, including 2018 NFL Rookie of the Year.

Now, he can add "peacemaker" to his resumé.

Barkley said Thursday after the Giants' 25-23 preseason victory over the Cincinnati Bengals that Cleveland Brown quarterback Baker Mayfield reached out to him this week in his quest to apologize to Daniel Jones, New York's rookie quarterback Mayfield had criticized in a GQ profile. Mayfield has maintained that his statements were taken out of context.

Barkley said Mayfield asked him for Jones' number and then followed up later to confirm Jones received the apology text he passed along.

"I understand that sometimes you say things, but you can’t control what people write," Barkley told reporters. "From me talking to Baker, he sounded sincere and he apologized to Daniel and Daniel accepted his apology. It was taken out of context. It was fun for the media, but it wasn’t a big deal in the locker room."

Jones downplayed Mayfield's comments and Barkley thought the rookie dealt with it well.

“I think he handled it the right way," Barkley said. “When the media ask him about it, he always kept it about the team."

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