Meet Saquon Barkley’s little fans. The longtime New York Giants running back, who recently signed with the Philadelphia Eagles, is the father of two children whom he shares with girlfriend Anna Congdon. Barkley and Congdon — who met at Penn State University and have been dating since 2017 — welcomed their firstborn, daughter Jada, in April 2018. They welcomed their second child, son Saquon Jr., in September 2022.
Shortly after Jada’s birth, Barkley said he was “honored and blessed” to have a daughter and to enter fatherhood. “[Always] gotta try to set the standard for her because her image of a man is gonna be off of me,” he added. Barkley left Penn State early after he was drafted into the NFL by the Giants on April 26, 2018, becoming the second overall pick that year. Despite his departure from school, the athlete completed his degree in May 2022 in part with his kids in mind.
“I also thought it would be good to get my degree to set an example for my siblings and my family,” he explained. “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.'” As Barkley’s little ones grow older, they can be seen cheering for their dad on the sidelines during games. His daughter has even walked a red carpet beside him!
Jada Barkley, 5
Saquon Barkley and Anna Congdon pose with their daughter, Jada, at a New York Giants game.
Barkley and Congdon welcomed their first child, daughter Jada, on April 24, 2018. She was born just two days before the running back was drafted into the NFL by the Giants. The new mom shared the exciting news on her Instagram the day her little one was born. “When two became three…,” she captioned the post, which included a photo featuring Congdon and Barkley with a swaddled baby Jada.
Since then, Congdon hasn’t shied away from sharing glimpses of Jada on her Instagram. She celebrated her first Mother’s Day one month after her little girl was born and penned a sweet tribute in the caption. “Motherhood is a million little moments that God weaves together with grace, redemption, laugh, tears, and most of all love. thank you my sweet girl for making me a mama & happy mother’s day to my fellow mommies!” Congdon wrote on Instagram alongside a photo of herself snuggled up with Jada.
Anna Congdon’s daughter Jada wears a football jersey with dad Saquon Barkley’s number.
Six months after Jada was born, she made an appearance on the field at one of her dad’s Giants games. Congdon carried her in a papoose as the family of three posed for photos in the stadium. One month later, the proud mom posted an adorable pic of Jada wearing her dad’s Giants jersey.
Barkley, who is often asked about fatherhood during interviews and press conferences, is undeniably a proud dad and takes his parenting duties seriously. The football star even has his baby top of mind each time he goes out on the field. “Obviously I do it for myself because I love the game, I love competing and I want to go down as one of the best [in NFL history], but I go out there and sacrifice my body every single day for my daughter,” Barkley told NJ Advance Media in June 2019.
Barkley, who’s worn Jada’s name and birthday on his Nike cleats, also told the outlet that “it’s not just football” where his goals are fueled by his daughter. “Every business decision I make, every investment, every marketing deal, all have to come with the mindset of my daughter being first.”
“She is my world. I’m going to give her the world,” Barkley continued. “I’m going to make sure she never has any worries in life, but I’m also going to show her that you have to work for everything in your life. I want to be the best role model and father I can be in her life.” In February 2024, Jada joined her parents at the NFL Honors in Las Vegas during Super Bowl weekend. Saquon and Congdon adorably posed alongside their daughter on the red carpet before the start of the prestigious ceremony.
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Barkley and Congdon welcomed their second child, son Saquon Jr., in September 2022. They call him “S.J.” for short. “Beautiful baby,” Barkley said of his son after his birth. “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.”
In comparison to Jada, Congdon doesn’t post many pics of S.J. on her Instagram page. She did, however, share a rare family photo ahead of the NFL Honors in February 2024. While only Jada walked the red carpet with her mom and dad at the event, S.J. posed alongside the family for a photo before the event. “A family affair,” Congdon captioned the carousel of images.
Also during Super Bowl weekend, Barkley chatted with Overtime about “the most surprising part about fatherhood” — to which he admitted, “I fall into the stereotype.” The pro athlete explained the tough love he’s teaching his son, especially in comparison to his daughter. He said if Jada falls down, he gestured how he coddles her — but if S.J. falls, “I’m looking [at him] like, ‘Get up.'”
“I gotta do better in that area,” Barkley admitted. “I gotta be loving and be strict and have them do it on their own for both.” He said he was “surprised” he fell into that, in regards to how he parents, especially since he believed he’d “never be like that.”
