Cael Sanderson on watching Super Bowl LIX: Saquon Barkley's 'a beast'

Penn State wrestling coach Cael Sanderson knows something about greatness and he sees it in Saquon Barkley.

Barkley, a Penn State alum, is set for Super Bowl LIX for the Philadelphia Eagles, taking on the Kansas City Chiefs. Sanderson’s in his own world though, guiding PSU to a 67-dual meet winning streak.

But, he might take some time out of his Sunday and watch Barkley potentially have a great game on the NFL’s biggest stage.

“Barkley’s a beast,” Sanderson said. “I mean he is just, you know, fun to watch. You knew when you’re watching him, when he was here at Penn State, he was something special. One of those athletes that just don’t come around very (often), but, yeah, he’s a lot of fun to watch. And obviously, any Penn State (athlete or student can) take a lot of pride and just enjoy watching him do his thing.”

Not only does Barkley get to enjoy a trip to the Super Bowl, but he’s also landed numerous bonuses along the way of his prolific season. Here’s the list of bonuses, courtesy of Front Office Sports. He’s also one more win away from an additional $250,000 and a Super Bowl title.

Saquon Barkley bonuses:

• $250K: Pro-Bowl selection
• $250K: NFC Championship
• $500K: Rushing yards leader
• $500K: Named to AP All-Pro team

In Philadelphia’s 55-23 win over Washington in the NFC Championship Game, Barkley was once again masterful, with 15 carries for 118 rushing yards and three touchdowns. His 2024-2025 season will forever go down as one of the greatest seasons by a running back in NFL history.

The former Nittany Lion finished the 2024 regular season with 2,005 yards and 13 touchdowns on 345 carries. In the Eagles’ first two playoff games, Barkley rushed for 324 yards and two touchdowns on 51 carries.

“It was the same message as last week – the most important thing is winning football games, especially around this time of year,” Barkley said.

“Whatever it takes. Defense, our defense is special. Making plays for us. Of course, we’re going to go back and watch and see what we can do better on offense. Our offensive line did a great job for us, we made the plays and got a win.”

Barkley and the Eagles take on the Chiefs Sunday in Super Bowl LIX at 6:30 p.m. ET in New Orleans.