Eagles Super Bowl champion Saquon Barkley nearly became a boxer before discovering football in Pennsylvania

Before Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley became an NFL star, he was expected to be a boxer. Born in the Bronx and raised in Pennsylvania, he came from a family where boxing was everything. His father, Alibay Barkley, and great-uncle, Iran Barkley, were both active in the sport, and young Saquon was trained to follow in their footsteps.

But things changed when Barkley discovered football. At just seven, he put on cleats and joined a team.

"If we was in New York, [Saquon] woulda been in boxing, definitely. That's what I was teaching him at the time," the Super Bowl LIX champions' dad said.

The switch wasn’t easy. In his first football game, he played against older kids and took a hard hit that loosened a baby tooth. But instead of quitting, he kept going. His boxing background helped him develop toughness, and he used that mindset every time he ran the ball.

Even as he got better at football, the lessons from boxing stayed with him. When he faced defenders, he saw it as a one-on-one fight, just like in the ring.

There came a time when Barkley struggled early in high school and even thought about quitting football. Surprisingly, his parents encouraged him to keep going.

By the time he played for Penn State, he was setting records and impressing coaches with his work ethic. He led his teammates in tough workouts, running up stadium stairs with a heavy vest.

Eagles RB Saquon Barkley's NFL Combine performance

Ahead of the NFL Draft, Saquon Barkley took part in the 2018 NFL Combine. Here are the details of his performance:

40-yard Dash: He ran it in 4.40 seconds, which was very fast for a player of his size.

10-yard Split: He covered the first 10 yards in 1.54 seconds.

Vertical Jump: He jumped 41 inches high.

20-yard Shuttle: He finished in 4.24 seconds.

Bench Press: He lifted 225 pounds 29 times.

His results gave him top ratings among running backs, with a 95 production score, 99 athleticism score and 98 total scores.

Following his stellar performance at the NFL Combine, Barkley entered the 2018 NFL Draft, where the New York Giants picked Barkley second overall.

In his debut season, Barkley won the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award and earned a Pro Bowl selection. He also set records, including most receptions by a rookie running back (91).