Cooper DeJean was put in a sticky situation over the weekend. As the Philadelphia Eagles' defensive back joined a ton of pro athletes at 'Fanatics Fest' in New York, the cornerback was asked by a fan to sign a trading card.
It wasn't DeJean's card-it was a card of his latest opponent, Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs.
When DeJean was presented with the card to sign, he stared at it with confusion. Eventually, he cracked a smile, before deciding what he was going to do with it.
While DeJean signed the card, he ended up writing a classic Philly-style message right above his signature. The soon-to-be-sophomore defensive back decorated the card with a "Go Birds" message.
This offseason, DeJean is recognized as one of the biggest risers for the Eagles. After an impressive rookie season with the team, he's set to take on a larger role, being a core member of the Eagles' youth movement on the defensive side of the ball.
Around this time last year, DeJean joined the Eagles after a three-year run at Iowa. He was the team's 40th overall pick in the second round and carried high expectations heading into his rookie season.
DeJean appeared in 16 games for the Eagles during the 2024 run. He totaled 51 tackles and half a sack. As a rookie, he had six pass deflections, but didn't come up with any interceptions during the regular season. DeJean's tackling was a highlight throughout the year.
In the playoffs, the Eagles relied on the rookie to continue playing an important role. In 14 games, DeJean came up with 18 tackles, and deflected four passes. He snatched his first career interception, and it came during the Super Bowl against Patrick Mahomes.
On his birthday, DeJean picked off a former NFL MVP and ran it back for a 38-yard touchdown on football's biggest stage. A star was born for the Eagles.
It's been a busy offseason for DeJean, who will gear up for his second training camp later next month. Year two won't get any easier for the former Iowa star. Since the Eagles are Super Bowl LIX Champions, they understand they are going to get every team's best shot next season. DeJean will have to be extremely prepared to live up to the year-two hype in Philadelphia.
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