Saquon Barkley made a winning move long before heading to New Orleans for his first Super Bowl.ย
The Philadelphia Eaglesโ gravity-defying running back recently revealed he proposed to his girlfriend of more than eight years, Anna Congdon. And Congdon, who shares two children with the star player, said yes.
So, who is the woman who plans to spend the rest of her life alongside No. 26? Get to know her here.
Sheโs from Pennsylvania
Congdon grew up in Forest City, Pennsylvania, and attended Forest City Regional High School.
To mark graduation in 2016, Congdon shared a photo from the big day on Instagram. In the pic, she can be seen wearing her white cap and gown as she beams alongside her look-alike mom.ย
In the caption, she wrote, โThere is nothing I will miss more at college than sharing genuine smiles with this one๐น.โ
Sheโs an athlete, too
Though she hasnโt gone pro like Barkley, Congdon has racked up athletic bragging rights of her own.
In high school, she was captain of the girls basketball team, leading the Lady Foresters to become District 2 champions in 2016.
โTeam captain Anna Congdon lifts the championships plaque in front of the huge Forest City crowd at Mohegan Sun Arena,โ the Forest City Girls Basketballโs Facebook post read.
She and Saquon Barkley go way back
Barkley has known Congdon since his days at Penn State. When Congdon enrolled in 2016, she met the popular sophomore, who was also a running back for the Nittany Lions, on campus.
A photo posted to Congdonโs Instagram page shows the pair together at a December 2016 Pi Kappa Phi event.
โHeโs alright on the field but you should see him on the dance floor,โ she wrote in the caption.
Sheโs a country music fan
Though Barkley and Congdon appear cozy in the previous sorority photo, they werenโt officially dating at the time. Their romantic relationship kicked off in early 2017.
In June of that year, Congdon celebrated the fact that she, a big country music fan, had finally convinced her boyfriend to accompany her to a show.
โOnly took 5 months of dating for (Saquon) to come to a country concert with me ย ๐,โ she wrote on Instagram.
Sheโs a much bigger Saquon Barkley fan
Congdon has been cheering on Barkley from the sidelines since he played ball at Penn State, continuing to support him in the NFL โ first with the New York Giants, now with the Philadelphia Eagles.
She roots for him off the field, too. In fact, Barkley, who forewent his senior year to enter the 2018 NFL draft, credits Congdon (and others close to him) for inspiring him to go back to school and complete his communications degree, which he did in 2022.
โEveryone pushed me,โ he told Giants.com. โMy parents pushed me to accomplish it, Anna pushed me to accomplish it, Coach Franklin, obviously, and Coach (Charles) Huff, my running back coach at the time, and I was happy to get it done.โ
She and the Eagles running back are officially engaged
Days before Sundayโs big game, Barkley revealed that he and Congdon got engaged.
โI canโt be the athlete I am and have the success I have so in my career without the help of her,โ he told People. โSheโs been super helpful and always has my back, not only in football but throughout life thereโs a lot that goes on. But as we continue to grow and mature and go through life together, we continue getting closer and continue to get even better.โ
The proposal took place months before he shared the news. He said the moment gave him more jitters than anticipating the Super Bowl.
โIโm just not good with stuff like that,โ he said to People at a press event. โIโm a lover boy, but Iโm not like a clever lover boy.โ
Sheโs a mother of 2
Congdon and Barkley share two children together. They welcomed their first child, daughter Jada Clare Barkley, on April 24, 2018.
โIโm going toย make sure she never has any worries in life,ย but Iโm also going to show her that you have to work for everything in your life,โ Barkley toldย NJ.com of their little girl. โI want to be the best role model and father I can be in her life.โ
In September 2022, they expanded their family with the arrival of a son, Saquon Barkley Jr., aka S.J.
In an interview with Giants.com after S.J.โs birth, Barkley gushed that his son โlights up the roomโ and Congdon is โobviously, an amazing mom. Weโve got a beautiful little family.โ
