Sports

Backwards hurdle costume wins Fanatics Fest costume contest

No play during the 2024 NFL season was more iconic than Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley’s backwards hurdle in a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. And now, one creative fan has leveraged his unique take on the play into tickets to the Super Bowl, World Cup Final and Wrestlemania 42.

Eagles fan JJ Nesheiwat showed up to last weekend’s Fanatics Fest wearing a Jaguars jersey and holding a mannequin wearing a Barkley jersey and Eagles helmet over his head in a ‘reverse hurdle’ posture. Thanks to the outfit, Nesheiwat got a chance to meet Eagles cornerback Cooper DeJean, who posed with him for a picture.

Fanatics announced via social media on Monday, June 23 that Nesheiwat’s costume also had won him the weekend’s ‘Best Dressed Fan’ award, meaning he’d also receive free tickets to the Super Bowl, World Cup final and Wrestlemania 42.

‘We saw thousands of amazing outfits at Fanatics Fest,’ the sports merchandise and collectibles company wrote on social media platform X, ‘but this one reverse hurdled over the rest.’

Time will tell whether Nesheiwat will get the chance to watch his favorite team attempt to repeat as Super Bowl champions in Santa Clara, California, next February. After that, he’ll need to make his way to Las Vegas for Wrestlemania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in April before going back to the East Coast for the World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in July.

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