The Super Bowl featured unbelievable actions together with extreme shifts in momentum and dramatic events which kept supporters anxiously attentive. Shaquille O’Neal faced the highest potential loss among all people involved in the Super Bowl competition. The sports bet created an enormous risk for the massive player when he placed his wager on the Eagles’ victory. Many punters had chosen to predict a triple Super Bowl triumph by Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes and his team.

But Shaq? Shaq made a strong bet on the Philadelphia Eagles’ victory while he increased his confidence in the team’s chances. His bet belonged to Saquon Barkley as his chosen pick. Thanks to Barkley the NBA star avoided serious consequences from online haters who could have pestered him otherwise.

Shaq wasn’t just casually picking the Eagles—he was ride or die. On The Big Podcast, he made it crystal clear: “Saquon Barkley is on a mission. Jalen Hurts, my fraternity brother, is on a mission. The Philadelphia Eagles are on a mission.” That’s not just confidence—that’s putting your whole reputation on the line. And when you’re picking against Mahomes and the Chiefs, who were chasing a third straight Super Bowl, that takes some guts.

Then the game kicked off, and Barkley wasted no time proving Shaq right. The first half was a little slow, but then history happened. He shattered the all-time record for most rushing yards in a regular season plus playoffs. He passed Terrell Davis’ legendary 1998 mark. His 31 first-half yards pushed him over the top. By the time the game was over, he had cemented his name in NFL history. But let’s be real—what mattered most (at least to Shaq) was that Barkley played a huge role in the Eagles’ dominant 40-22 win over Kansas City.

Now, imagine if the Eagles had lost. Shaq’s confidence would have been everywhere on social media—for all the wrong reasons. People love to clown him when he gets a take wrong. Just ask him about that Miami Heat Finals bet. But thanks to Barkley’s performance, Shaq actually pulled off a rare W in the prediction game.

And it wasn’t just about the stats. Barkley ran with purpose. He made big-time plays and helped the Eagles stay in control. The entire storyline flipped. Instead of “Is Shaq about to get roasted?” it became “Shaq saw this coming before anyone else.” That’s a win he’s definitely taking.

Shaquille O’Neal’s bold prediction: How Pat Riley’s ‘Three-Peat’ talk fired up the Eagles

A huge part of the Super Bowl conversation was the Chiefs going for a three-peat. That term is actually trademarked by NBA legend Pat Riley. Days before the game, the NFL secured the rights to use “Three-Peat” in case Kansas City won. They were basically setting up the Mahomes Dynasty storyline. But Shaq? He wasn’t buying it.

“You don’t disrespect people from Philly, from New York, from New Jersey, from Florida,” he said. In his mind, all that three-peat talk was just extra motivation for the Eagles. And he wasn’t wrong.

From the opening kickoff, Philly played like a team with something to prove. Jalen Hurts had a monster game. He threw two passing touchdowns and ran for another. The defense put Mahomes through it. They forced two brutal interceptions, one of them going for a pick-six. Meanwhile, Barkley played like a man who had been waiting for this moment forever.

Shaq even called it ahead of time. “Saquon felt disrespected in Jersey,” he said, referencing the Giants letting him walk in free agency. “Guys like him, they’ve been waiting for this moment their whole life.” And man, when that moment came, Barkley delivered.

As for Riley’s three-peat talk? Yeah, that’s a footnote now.

Look, Shaq’s made plenty of wild sports takes over the years. Some have been spot on. Others… well, not so much. But this time? He nailed it. His belief in the Eagles—and especially in Saquon Barkley—turned out to be right on the money. Instead of getting dragged all over social media, he actually walked away looking like a genius.

Barkley’s record-breaking night and the Eagles’ dominant performance didn’t just lock in Philly’s second Super Bowl title. It also saved Shaq from taking a massive L on national television. And for a guy as competitive as Shaq, that’s almost as sweet as winning the championship itself.