IDA GROVE, Iowa — While many Hawkeye fans in Iowa know all about Cooper DeJean, and his rise to the NFL and now the Super Bowl, many may not know about his very athletic family.

His grandfather Al Wilke, used to coach at the local high school, and got tickets to get his grandson in to see Hawkeye football games.

“Coop would go down there with his Dad,” said Wilke. “The one thing he didn’t like was Herky, every time Herky came close by he came over and sat by his dad.”

Jason and Katie DeJean had Cooper involved in basketball and football, traveling all over the country for tournaments. Cooper also participated in football camps at the University of Iowa.

“He had special athletic ability from a young age,” said Jason. “He really took to it, like a lot of the sports he would just kind of change from season to season.”

His parents and grandparents say even with Cooper’s success, he still remains humble.

“He’s just a pretty caring kid you know, he’s modest and goes about his business and I don’t think he’s a big show boat or anything like that,” said Jason DeJean.

“He is a very sincere individual, a quiet guy, you have to pull a conversation out of him,” said Grandpa Al. “He’s really, really humble, but he doesn’t forget where it came from and he always gives credit to the people back home.”

“He’s got plenty of awards,” said Mom Katie DeJean. “I think if you asked him, he’d rather win a championship as a team or something like that, more of a team player.” 

Mom, Katie, and Grandma, Kathy Wilke, are now planning a birthday party for Cooper on his birthday, February 9th, which is also the day of the Super Bowl in New Orleans. The family is hoping to get everyone there to celebrate.

Cooper is the oldest son of Jason and Katie DeJean. Another son, Beckett is playing football at the University of South Dakota. The youngest son, Jaxx, is a 6’5″ sophomore, the tallest of all the boys. He wants to play football in college, maybe as a tight end. The DeJeans were watching him play basketball on Monday night. They say that college decision is a ways off yet.

It’s obvious the family members are big Hawkeye supporters, and now Philadelphia Eagles fans. There are many Eagles fans now around the OABCIG Schools, all hoping to see them and Cooper, win the Super Bowl.

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