What the Big Blue failed to nurture has gone on to rush yards and run grounds against the Chiefs in the SB LIX. Saquon Barkley will make sure to do one thing, and you can bet on that. He would want the Giants to regret every bit with the Eagles on his birthday. But there’s more to it, you see.

Maybe it was all meant to be. Philly and a Barkley? It’s happened before. Long before Saquon Barkley ran wild for the Eagles, Charles Barkley made the city his own. Different sports, same larger-than-life presence. And if you know anything about Charles, you know he’s a football guy, too.

Drafted fifth overall by the Sixers in 1984, Charles spent eight seasons dominating the NBA in Philly. Six All-Star selections. One MVP. A relentless, undersized forward who rebounded like he was 7 feet tall. He never won a ring for the city, but he gave them a show every night. The dude was must-watch TV.

Now, it’s Saquon’s turn. The numbers? Ridiculous. Over 2,400 rushing yards this season. Eighteen total touchdowns. Five in the playoffs alone. And here’s the kicker—he’s 30 yards away from breaking Terrell Davis’ all-time single-season rushing record, including playoffs. That’s history knocking at the door.

And fittingly, he’s playing in the Super Bowl on his birthday. Can he deliver Philly a title that Charles never could? That’s the question. One more game, one more moment. The stage is his. Just because of that likeliness. The ability to grab the headlines—being the showstopper that’s a Barkley-esque thing now. Fans can’t stop but wondering if there’s blood relation to their connection?

Saquon Barkley and Charles Barkley are united by Philly

Same last name, city, game, and aura! So, are Saquon and Charles Barkley actually related? Nope. Just two dominant athletes who ended up making Philly their own.

Saquon’s journey started in The Bronx before his family moved to Pennsylvania when he was just four. Football quickly became his calling, leading him to Whitehall High and later Penn State. Charles, on the other hand, came from the deep South—born and raised in Leeds, Alabama, just outside Birmingham. His path led him to Auburn, where he bulldozed his way onto the NBA stage. Different sports. Different backgrounds. But both found a home in the City of Brotherly Love.

There’s no family tree connecting them, but there is a common thread—strength. Saquon’s father, Alibay Barkley, was a boxer, and his great-uncle, Iran Barkley, was a three-weight champion. The toughness? That runs in the bloodline. Meanwhile, Charles was molded by his hardworking father, Frank Barkley, and his kind-hearted mother, Charcey Glenn. She passed in 2015, but Charles has always spoken about how much she shaped his life.

Philly has a funny way of bringing icons together. The names Barkley and Barkley may not be linked by blood, but they’re tied together by the city. Just like Michael Jordan and Cameron Jordan, Barry Sanders and Deion Sanders—sometimes, greatness just happens to share a name.