Is NFL Player Saquon Barkley Related to NBA Legend Charles Barkley?

The United States bounces between big sports seasons, with most of the year's focus being on the National Football League (NFL), National Basketball Association (NBA), or Major League Baseball (MLB). With baseball occupying a different time of the year from the NBA and NFL, it's only natural that the latter two get compared the most often.

That comparison often extends to players, with fans pitting records from one league's players against records from the other.

Yet sometimes the comparison gets a little more personal. After the Philadephia Eagles smashed the Kansas City Chiefs in New Orleans 40-22 in the February 2025 Super Bowl, one name kept floating to the surface of conversations as one of the Eagles' MVPs: star running back Saquon Barkley.

Saquon's name may ring some familiarity bells for those who have followed the NBA. Because there's a legendary basketball player who goes by the name of Charles Barkley. Are Saquon and former power forward Charles related? Here's what we know.

They don't really resemble one another, but that doesn't necessarily mean they're not related. After all, they could be related by marriage, or there could be adoptions in the family. And sometimes, genes are really strong. Everyone has that one relative they know they're related to but they look nothing like.

However, this is not the case for Saquon and Charles. They are not related, according to EssentiallySports.

But they are connected in some pretty impressive ways. First of all, both have scored career-defining wins as players for teams in Philadelphia.

And both are team-and-industry-leading winners, with impressive records under their belts. Charles is a legend in the NBA world. After being picked fifth in the draft for the Philadelphia 76ers in 1984, he quickly rocketed his way to the top, ending his career in 2000 with a record of being one of the NBA's all-time top rebounders and scorers. He is an 11-time NBA All-Star, 11-time member of the All-NBA Team, and the 1993 NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP).

Saquon is no shrinking violet himself. He netted over 2,400 rushing yards in the 2024 season alone, with 18 total touchdowns. He's also just 30 yards away from breaking the all-time single-season rushing record currently held by Terrell Davis.

You can see why it's easy to wonder if these two extraordinarily talented players are related. Alas, they're just brothers in sports superstardom.

But there is someone who is related to Saquon who made headlines quickly on the heels of his big win in the Super Bowl: his daughter.

While appearing on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon alongside teammate and Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, Saquon was questioned about a voicemail that his daughter left him ahead of his big night on the gridiron.

In the recording, which Jimmy played for the audience, Saquon's daughter Jada Clare left this heartwarming message, beginning with "Hi daddy, it's Jada!"

She continued, "I really really really hope you win, and Daddy I'm really thankful that you've been caring for your whole family and I know you're gonna win." But Jada had words of comfort for her father in case the day didn't go his way, concluding, "But if you don't that's OK, and I really really love you."

So even if Saquon can't call the legendary Charles his blood relative, he's clearly winning in both football and the family department.