Saquon Barkley Day declared in Allentown during tribute to hometown hero
Saquon Barkley Day declared in Allentown
Allentown paid homage to its hometown hero Saquon Barkley while helping out a good cause.
ALLENTOWN, Pa. - Football season may be over after ending on a high note with the Eagles' Super Bowl win, but it was a sea of green in Allentown Sunday.
The celebration was twofold, paying tribute to hometown hero Saquon Barkley while helping out a good cause.
What we know:
Almost 9,000 fans turned out to honor Lehigh Valley’s favorite son, Saquon Barkley!
Tickets sold out so quickly that Ticketmaster crashed in a matter of minutes.
Allentown’s mayor declared March 9, 2025 Saquon Barkley Day, and fans could not wait to get a glimpse of their favorite Philadelphia Eagle.
All the money raised from the event will go to the Michael Ann & Saquon Barkley Hope Foundation—a nonprofit dedicated to helping kids through education, mentorship, and community support.
What they're saying:
Saquon Barkley honored in Allentown
Saquon Barkley makes his way to Allentown, Pennsylvania, for a special honorary celebration after the Eagles' Super Bowl victory last month.
"Because I love Saquon!" said Susan Reiss from Hellertown. "I wish I could get a picture with him. He's awesome!"
"I'm a running back. I want to be just like him!" said AZ Thorne, a fifth-grader.
"The love and support you guys have shown me in the Lehigh Valley has been tremendous, and I know I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish the things I’ve accomplished so far in my career without the love and support from you guys," said Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles running back.
From his days at Whitehall High School to his time at Penn State, Barkley says he never forgot where he came from or the two people who still live in the Lehigh Valley who taught him everything.
"I always try to treat people with respect and try to be kind, and it starts with these two. It starts with my mom, my dad. I’m very fortunate and blessed," Barkley said, to cheers from the crowd.
"We both did a great job, as you know, them being raised in a two-parent home. I mean, we did what we had to do. We did our best, and something good came out of it!" said Tonya Johnson, Barkley's mom.
"It’s a good feeling, that’s all I can say. It’s a good feeling!" said Alibay Barkley, Saquon's dad.
Fans say the overwhelming turnout to see him for just a few minutes speaks volumes about this Eagle’s character.
"He’s a really great guy. A really great guy for the kids and the community to look up to, and he’s a really great person!" said Toura West from Bethlehem.
"Saquon, what do you think of this?" asked a fan. "Oh, it’s truly amazing. Thank you to everyone who came out for sure," Barkley replied.
"He was amazing. They did such an incredible job, and it was just an incredible feeling!" said Ben Hartranft from Lansdale.
The Source: The information in this story is from the Saquon Barkley event in Allentown.