Cooper DeJean has had quite the past 24 hours.
DeJean started Sunday celebrating his 22nd birthday and ended it celebrating a Super Bowl 59 victory after his Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22 in New Orleans.
“It’s crazy. To be able to do it with this group of guys. Come in, and since day one, all of us rookies have brought us in and taught us everything they know,” DeJean said during his postgame media availability.” To be able to hold that Lombardi Trophy and do it on my birthday and (teammate) Saquon’s (Barkley’s) birthday, it’s pretty crazy.”
More:Cooper DeJean reacts to winning Super Bowl LIX: ‘Developed at the University of Iowa’
Both before and after Sunday’s game, DeJean honored his Iowa roots by paying tribute to the Iowa football program and honoring his hometown of Odebolt. Here’s how he did it.
Where is Cooper DeJean from?
DeJean grew up in Odebolt in western Iowa. He attended OABCIG High School in nearby Ida Grove, before playing for the University of Iowa.
What does OABCIG High School stand for?
The school’s name is an acronym for a cluster of small towns that make up the district: Odebolt, Arthur, Battle Creek and Ida Grove.
What was Cooper DeJean’s letterman jacket at the 2025 Super Bowl?
While some of his teammates chose to arrive at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans dressed in designer suits for the big game, DeJean chose to wear something he had received before his first big NFL check: his OABCIG High School letterman jacket
As OABCIG’s quarterback, DeJean amassed 9,520 yards of offense and 132 touchdowns, leading the Falcons to 25 straight victories and back-to-back state titles.
DeJean was named Iowa’s Gatorade Player of the Year for the 2020 football season and the 2021 All-Iowa Male Athlete of the Year by the Des Moines Register.
Cooper DeJean wears custom cleats with Iowa area code for Super Bowl 59
DeJean didn’t stop with his pre-game outfit when it came to showing love for his home state.
During the game, the defensive back finished with three tackles, a pass deflection, and his first career interception, which was returned for 38 yards for a touchdown. DeJean wore custom Nike Air Jordan cleats featuring the western Iowa area code — 712 — during the contest.
DeJean also gave a shoutout to his alma matter college program via social media after the game.
“Developed at the University of Iowa 🐤🐤🐤,” DeJean said in a post.
More:Eagles rookie Cooper DeJean of Iowa scores touchdown after Super Bowl interception
Cooper Worth is a service/trending reporter for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at [email protected] or follow him on X @CooperAWorth.