From winning the Super Bowl to getting a front-row seat to one of the greatest rushing seasons in gridiron history Cooper DeJean saw the full breadth of what the NFL had to offer throughout his rookie season. By divine luck, DeJean was drafted by the Eagles, and suddenly the 22-year-old Iowa native found himself to be one of the most decorated sophomores in the league.
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During a recent appearance on the Pivot Podcast, the rookie sat down with former Pittsburgh Steeler, Ryan Clark, to detail his storybook debut. More specifically, his day-to-day interactions with the NFL’s top running back, Saquon Barkley.
In detailing Barkley’s down-to-earth attitude, DeJean noted that he was thankful for both the guidance that Barkley provided and the fact that he’s never had to face off against him.
“He was a guy who, every day, would always check up on me, make sure I was good. You see him as this superstar when you first get in there… Seeing him as a normal dude, asking how you are doing… That’s cool. I’m just glad I never had to face him in a game.”
The fact that Barkley was checking in on the rookie serves as a further testament to how big of an addition he was for the Philadelphia Eagles this past offseason.
An example of greatness both on and off of the field, the former New York Giant managed to show DeJean things that he never thought to be possible. The rookie’s favorite play by the star RB came in Week 9:
“He’s done some stuff on the football field that will probably never be done again. The backwards hurdle that he made was probably the greatest football play I’ve ever seen.”
Barkley broke the resolve of defenders and the internet with his backward hurdle over Jarrian Jones during a Week 9 showcase against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Given the end result of the 2024 NFL season, perhaps the viral moment served as a warning about the inevitability of Barkley.
THE 180 HURDLE??? DID SAQUON JUST INVENT THIS?!
📺: #JAXvsPHI on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/tYThjnbdgG— NFL (@NFL) November 3, 2024
DeJean wasn’t the only one to have his brain broken by the arial attempt, with Eagles’ head coach, Nick Sirianni, equally labeling it “the best play I’ve ever seen,” following the Eagles’ 28-23 victory that day.
Having capped off his historic 2024 rushing performance with a Super Bowl LIX victory, the Penn State product has officially cemented himself as one of the best running backs in NFL history. Barkley and DeJean will now turn their attention towards the 2025 regular season as they hope to defend their world title.
The 28-year-old phenom will have a new challenge in front of him, as he attempts to become the first bellcow back in recent history to sustain his pace after handling more touches than any other running back in the league, a feat that not even Christian McCaffrey could accomplish.
