Philadelphia Eagles' Cooper DeJean becomes first player to score Super Bowl pick-6 on birthday

DeJean and teammate Saquon Barkley are the players number 15 and 16 to appear in a Super Bowl on their birthdays.

Updated on: Feb 10, 2025, 08:19:22 IST

By HT News Desk

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Super Bowl 2025 saw another bit of history with the Philadelphia Eagles’ rookie Cooper DeJean, celebrating his 22nd birthday, intercepting a pass from the Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes on Sunday.

Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Cooper DeJean (33) scores a touchdown after making an interception against the Kansas City Chiefs during the first half of Super Bowl LIX at Caesars Superdome. (Bill Streicher-Imagn Images via Reuters Con)

DeJean did not stop just there. He took the ball all the way to the end zone to score a pick-six, a first in a Super Bowl since Robert Alford had one for the Atlanta Falcons against Tom Brady and New England eight years ago.

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DeJean also became the first player in Super Bowl history to intercept a pass or score a touchdown on his birthday. He undercut a route by DeAndre Hopkins and picked off Mahomes before racing in for the pick-six.

DeJean and teammate Saquon Barkley are the players number 15 and 16 to appear in a Super Bowl on their birthdays, according to Sportradar. None of those players had scored a touchdown or intercepted a pass before DeJean.

DeJean was a second-round pick in the NFL Draft 2024 out of Iowa and his insertion into the starting lineup early in the season was a key part of the Philadelphia Eagles' defensive rebound.

The other birthday boy Saquon Barkley also created two records. He eclipsed the NFL season rushing record, postseason included, topping the mark of 2,476 yards set by Terrell Davis. He also set a new mark for yards from scrimmage accumulated over the regular season and the playoffs on the game's first play from scrimmage. That record also belonged to Davis.

What had happened after the last pick-6 in a Super Bowl 8 years ago?

The last quarterback to be picked off for a touchdown was Tom Brady, playing for the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl Bowl LI. The Atlanta Falcons’ Robert Alfred intercepted that pass from the NFL great who finished his career with seven Super Bowl titles.

That one gave the Falcons a 21-0 lead that grew to 28-3 in the second half before the Patriots mounted the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history.

It’s the only time a team has lost a Super Bowl after returning an interception for a touchdown with the other 12 teams all winning, including Tampa Bay in a game with three pick-sixes against the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl 37.

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HT News Desk
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