Only one Eagles rookie from Iowa has the chance to break the hearts of both Caitlin Clark and Patrick Mahomes at the same time.
Patrick Mahomes and Caitlin Clark
“It’s awesome to be here and to have this experience, especially as a young guy in my first year in the league,” DeJean told talkSPORT exclusively on Tuesday in New Orleans. “You get the feeling of what it takes to get back here now.
“It’s just about us continuing to do what we’ve done all year—play our game, prepare like we always have, and go out and give our best on Sunday.”
Beat Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in the Superdome, and DeJean won’t just be a newly crowned world champion at 21. He’ll also send Caitlin Clark into NFL misery.
The WNBA Rookie of the Year and former Hawkeyes superstar is a die-hard Chiefs fan. She even watched a recent playoff game from a suite alongside Taylor Swift, the only person who rivals her as Kansas City’s most famous supporter.
DeJean, a four-sport athlete in high school, once playfully suggested he could take Clark in a one-on-one basketball game.
“I think I can,” he said, ahead of his appearance on a new podcast titled Exciting Whites alongside teammate Reed Blankenship. “She’d probably score a few buckets on me, but I think I could pull it off.”
Those bold words sparked a social media stir, but if the Eagles take down the Chiefs’ dynasty on Sunday, DeJean will have an early lead over Clark where it truly matters.
He understands her loyalty.
“She’s been a Chiefs fan for a long time,” said DeJean, sporting a bespoke green Rolex. “That’s alright. I don’t blame her.”
But he has a job to do on Super Bowl Sunday.
“Hopefully, we can (break her heart),” DeJean joked.
Cooper DeJean
Selected 40th overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, DeJean played in 16 games (nine starts) this season, recording 51 combined tackles, six passes defensed, two forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries. He became a key piece of Vic Fangio’s defense, helping the Eagles rebound from a shaky 2-2 start to eventual NFC dominance.
“We got off to a little bit of a rocky start,” DeJean admitted. “We weren’t playing as consistently as we’d like. But after that bye week, we regrouped, figured out what we needed to do, and found success as a unit.”
Despite being overlooked in high school, the Sioux Falls, South Dakota native stayed true to his athletic journey, which ultimately led to his growing NFL spotlight.
“Playing all four sports in high school helped me a lot,” DeJean said. “Each sport complements the other. Track helps with just about everything. Basketball and football have their similarities, too. Playing quarterback in high school gave me an offensive perspective that’s helped me tremendously as a defensive player.”
Whether DeJean walks away a Super Bowl champion or watches Clark’s Chiefs win it all again, one thing is certain: he’s in awe of what another former Hawkeye has already achieved.
“It’s been amazing to watch her in college and now as a pro,” he said. “What she’s done for women’s basketball is really special.
“She’s probably the most exciting player to watch in the game right now, men’s or women’s. The way she plays—scoring, passing, doing it all—she’s taking women’s basketball to the next level.”
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