Former Iowa star defensive back and Odelbolt, Iowa native, Cooper DeJean, had a whirlwind 2024-2025. DeJean missed most of the second half of the 2023-2024 Iowa Football season after fracturing his fibula during a November practice.
He missed Iowa's final four games, including the Big Ten Championship game, and could not participate in the NFL Draft Combine or pre-draft processes while rehabbing.
In the 2024 NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles selected DeJean with the 40th overall pick. The Eagles traded up 10 places to take DeJean with the eighth pick of the second round.
After the Eagles drafted him, he was placed on the Active/Non-Football injury list on July 7, 2024, and reactivated on August 13, 2024. He played sparingly the first few weeks while re-acclimating to football after his injury.
Going into the week 5 game against the Cleveland Browns, the Eagles were 2-2 and looking for a spark. DeJean was entered into the starting lineup, and they never looked back. Philadelphia won 11 of their final 12 games heading into the playoffs.
DeJean was a big part of the Eagles' defensive resurgence that carried them to Super Bowl LIX. The Eagles dominated the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22 en route to their second Super Bowl Title since 2017. DeJean was a force on defense and made the play of the game.
With seven minutes left in the second quarter, DeJean picked off a wayward Patrick Mahomes pass and ran it back for a touchdown. That put the Eagles up 17-0 and that was all she wrote for the Chiefs and their attempt for a Super Bowl three-peat.
After gaining fame from his rookie year and Super Bowl performance, DeJean remains humble and does not forget his Iowa roots.
🚨We're partnering with @cdejean23 & Octane Sports to host an All-Star Celebrity Charity Softball game on Sunday, June 1! One ticket gets you into our game & the charity game.
— Iowa Cubs (@IowaCubs) April 7, 2025
Buy now & support the University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital!https://t.co/5sVXL6xVBB pic.twitter.com/Qzuiq0wF36
On Monday, it was announced that Cooper is partnering with the Iowa Cubs for a celebrity charity softball event in Des Moines, Iowa. All proceeds from the special ticket package, auction, and a portion of all game ticket sales will go to the University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital.
DeJean will be the captain of one team and his former teammate, Riley Moss, will be the captain of the other team. DeJean will be joined by current Eagles teammates A.J. Brown, Reed Blakenship, and former teammates Isaiah Rodgers and Avonte Maddox.
Moss will be joined by teammates Bo Nix, Will Lutz, Alex Singleton, and Mike McGlinchey.
Former Hawkeyes quarterback C.J. Beathard and linebacker Jay Higgins will also attend the event.
The Celebrity Charity Softball Event will occur after the Iowa Cubs game against the Syracuse Mets on Sunday, June 1, at Principal Park in Des Moines, Iowa. Tickets for the event are still available.