Perhaps the best decision the Philadelphia Eagles made in the last year was to add running back Saquon Barkley to their squad. He’s been a key player for them all season, becoming just the ninth player to rush for 2,000 yards in a single NFL season. He’s helped them make it all the way to the NFC Conference Championship, where they’ll face the Washington Commanders this Sunday for a shot to go to Super Bowl LIX.

Throughout his journey to NFL success, one woman has been by his side, supporting him and encouraging him from the very beginning, and that’s his girlfriend Anna Congdon.

Who is Anna Congdon?

Anna Congdon was born in June of 1998 and grew up in Forest City, Pennsylvania. At Forest City Regional High School, Congdon was the team captain of the girls' basketball team. She graduated in 2016 and went on to attend Pennsylvania State University.

Saquon and Anna: how they met

It was at Penn State where she met Saquon Barkley, who was attending on a football scholarship. The couple began dating in January 2017.

The growing family

Barkley left Penn State early when he entered the 2018 NFL Draft. He and Congdon welcomed their first child, daughter Jada Clare Barkley, on April 24, 2018 - just two days before the draft. Barkley announced the birth on his Instagram with a sweet message.

“Words can’t even describe how I feel right now. You are the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen in my life. Thank God for blessing me with you in my life and into my arms. I pray that I can be the best father to you and help you grow into an amazing woman. I love you so so so much #DaddysLittleGirl Jada Clare Barkley 4.24.18 ❤️."

Barkley was drafted second overall by the New York Giants. He was on cloud nine, with his future career in the NFL looking bright and his brand new daughter having made her debut in the world.

“This week is everything you could think of,” Barkley said on the red carpet. “You know I told a lot of people that you couldn’t have written a better story than to be able to go out and live my dream and have my family and my mother and father with me to experience with me and to also have the birth of my first child, my daughter Jada, you know, it’s like I said, it’s something you take out of a story and I’m so happy that I’m able to just be blessed enough to have a daughter and be blessed enough to be able to go to [the] draft.”

And in case you’re wondering, she’s grown up to be even more precious than she was as a baby.

In September 2022, Anna and Saquon welcomed their second child, a son, Saquon Jr., whom they call S.J.

“Beautiful baby,” Barkley said about his son. “He lights up the room. Amazing smile. Jada is being an amazing big sister. Anna, obviously, an amazing mom. We’ve got a beautiful little family.”

Anna is Saquon’s number one fan and supporter

Because Saquon left Penn State early to enter the NFL Draft, he did not complete his college degree at the time. But Anna, along with Saquon’s parents, encouraged him to do so, and in May 2022, he finally did.

“I also thought it would be good to get my degree to set an example for my siblings and my family,” he said. “I want my kids to be goal setters and whatever they want to accomplish, they can do it if they put their mind to it. I would love for them to one day say, ‘I want to accomplish this and actually see it come to fruition.’ ”

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Anna is constantly posting messages of support for Saquon on her social media. From encouraging fans to vote for him to win the Walter Payton Man of the Year award, which he was nominated for in 2023, to praising him for his 2,000-yard milestone with the Eagles this year on her Instagram Stories, writing “you outshine the morning sun”, Anna has Saquon’s back no matter what.

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