Philadelphia Eagles rookie cornerback Cooper DeJean played a significant role in helping his team defeat the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 59. DeJean made headlines by intercepting Patrick Mahomes in the biggest game of the season and returning it for a touchdown.
The former Iowa Hawkeyes star wasted no time making an impact at the NFL level. After the game, he even heard from another former Iowa star athlete.
Caitlin Clark Reached Out to Cooper DeJean After the Game
While on the “Up and Adams” show with Kay Adams, DeJean was asked if he had heard from Caitlin Clark, another famous Hawkeye.
“She sent me a nice message congratulating me,” DeJean said. “That was nice of her, being a Chiefs fan and all.”
Cooper DeJean says fellow Hawkeyes alum Caitlin Clark messaged him after the SB LIX win 🙌
"That was nice of her being a Chiefs fan and all."@cdejean23 @CaitlinClark22 @TheIowaHawkeyes @heykayadams | #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/ZDEo6gRUva
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) February 12, 2025
Clark had an incredible rookie season in the WNBA and has quickly become one of the faces of the league. As a rookie for the Indiana Fever, she averaged 19.2 points, 8.4 assists, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game. Her success as both a collegiate and professional player has made the sport more popular than ever before.
Both athletes grew up in Iowa, with DeJean growing up in Odebolt and Clark growing up in Des Moines. Additionally, both attended Iowa around the same time, with Clark attending from 2020-2024 and DeJean attending from 2021-2023 before leaving college early to declare for the NFL Draft.
DeJean started nine games as a rookie, registering 51 tackles (38 solo, 13 assists), six pass deflections, one forced fumble, and three fumble recoveries while serving as a versatile defensive piece on the Eagles’ defense.
DeJean was a massive part of the Eagles’ defensive overhaul in 2024. After a disappointing 2023 season, Philadelphia made huge changes, starting with hiring Vic Fangio as their defensive coordinator and bringing in new players on defense, including DeJean, Zach Baun, and Quinyon Mitchell, among others.
The Eagles followed up a disappointing 2023 by finishing the 2024 season ranked No. 2 in PFN’s Defense+ metric, with a score of 87.9 (B+).
While DeJean was integral on defense, that wasn’t the only way he helped out his team. He also became the team’s punt returner down the stretch, returning 21 punts for 211 yards, with a long of 31 yards.
After a successful rookie season for Philadelphia, DeJean will look to improve in Year 2. Philadelphia will presumably put more on his plate, as he has established himself as a quality player at the NFL level capable of playing several different defensive roles.