A rookie cornerback snatches a Patrick Mahomes pass on his 22nd birthday, sprints 38 yards for a pick-six, and helps deliver Philly its second Lombardi Trophy. It’s the stuff of NFL Films lore—a moment as iconic as a Rocky Balboa training montage. But Cooper DeJean’s post-Super Bowl story? That’s where the plot thickens.

While Philly fans still savor the win like a perfectly layered cheesesteak, DeJean’s been busy crafting a legacy that’s less about confetti and more about compassion.

Turns out, DeJean’s biggest play came off the field. On February 21, just days after hoisting the Lombardi, the Eagles’ rookie traded his cleats for a hospital gown—figuratively, of course—visiting kids at the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital. “DeJean has done multiple charitable deeds after winning the Super Bowl several weeks ago—a truly special person and soul. This is everything,” tweeted @_MLFootball, highlighting DeJean’s string of charitable acts. UI Health Care Stead Family Children’s Hospital shared their gratitude on X…

“Former Hawkeye @cdejean23 had a “Super” month: ✅ Play in the Super Bowl on his birthday, take an interception in for a touchdown ✅ Meet some Super pediatric patients during a visit to our hospital Thanks for stopping by, Cooper—once a Hawkeye, always a Hawkeye! 💛🖤,” they wrote with a video of DeJean mixing with the kids. Quick to acknowledge, DeJean reposted, “Always great to be back🖤💛” But there’s one more standout moment.

Meeting Declan LeBaron, a 9-year-old battling juvenile arthritis, who’d scored Super Bowl tickets thanks to Bradley Cooper. Declan’s mom, Jillian, shared that her son’s health is the best it’s been in years—proof that joy might just be the best medicine. Not to be outdone, Eagles WR A.J. Brown brought the Lombardi Trophy to 10-year-old Andre Howard on February 13.

Howard survived a plane crash in Northeast Philadelphia, shielding his sister from debris. ‘Heroes recognize heroes,’ whispers came along, echoing the team’s ethos. Meanwhile, DeJean’s Super Bowl heroics weren’t just a one-hit wonder.

On Pardon My Take, he admitted rewatching his pick-six “so many times” that it’s practically his phone’s screensaver. And why not? The play cemented him in history as the first to score a birthday touchdown in a Super Bowl. “It fell right into my lap,” Cooper DeJean shrugged, downplaying his instinctive dash past Chiefs linemen. But the Eagles’ dominance wasn’t just luck.

Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio didn’t even need to blitz, thanks to a ferocious front line. “Those guys are monsters,” DeJean said, praising teammates like Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter. Chiefs fans, still nursing wounds, might wanna skip the game tape. Besides, while DeJean charmed Iowa, linebacker Nolan Smith faced a quieter battle.

Nolan Smith’s grit: playing through pain for the ring

The Cost of Glory: During the Super Bowl, Smith tore his triceps—yet played 30 snaps on “one arm,” per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Surgery followed on February 21, but Smith’s expected back for the 2025 season. ‘Heroic,’ comments ushered in one social media.

Smith’s 2024 breakout by the numbers:

• Regular season: 6.5 sacks, 42 tackles, 2 forced fumbles
• Playoffs: 4 sacks (tied for most by a player under 24)
• Super Bowl: 2 QB hits on one arm

Smith’s resilience mirrored the Eagles’ season. Even center Cam Jurgens played through nerve damage, later undergoing surgery. Meanwhile, Jalen Hurts‘s leadership sealed the deal.

The Eagles QB, still haunted by 2023’s Super Bowl loss, turned his pain into fuel. “That last one changed my soul,” Hurts told teammates pre-game, per DeJean. The speech hit harder than a mid-’90s Reggie White sack. Rookies like Cooper DeJean soaked it up: “I was ready to play right then and there after those speeches [by Hurts].”

From DeJean’s heartwarming hospital tours to Smith’s sleeved-up sacrifice, the Eagles proved championship mettle isn’t just about X’s and O’s. It’s about showing up—whether for sick kiddos or snarling linemen. As Rocky Balboa once mused, “It ain’t about how hard you hit; it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.” For Philly? The hits keep coming—and so do the triumphs.