Fan's Saquon Barkley backwards hurdle costume wins best-dressed at Fanatics Fest

Saquon Barkley’s famous backwards hurdle was replayed all day at Fanatics Fest.

Philadelphia Eagles fan JJ Nesheiwat recreated the iconic moment for the event’s costume contest. But he didn’t leave his feet, and he wasn't even wearing a Barkley jersey. He wore a Jacksonville Jaguars uniform because he was the one getting hurdled over.  

Nesheiwat got some help from a mannequin that he dressed in an Eagles helmet and Barkley’s kelly green jersey. He put a football in its hand and positioned the mannequin in Barkley's mid-flight backwards pose. He then held it over his head while walking around the Javits Center in New York City.  

With our All Access Daily newsletter, stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Philadelphia sports teams!

  SIGN UP HERE

Nesheiwat then hurdled the other 125,000-plus attendees to be named best-dressed fan and win tickets to Super Bowl LX, the FIFA World Cup Final and WrestleMania 42.

“We saw thousands of amazing outfits at Fanatics Fest, but this one reverse hurdled over the rest,” Fanatics posted Monday on social media. “Everyone, congratulate JJ on being crowned this year’s Best Dressed Fan. An outfit this amazing deserves a prize to match. So we can’t wait to see what he wears to the Super Bowl, the World Cup Final, and WrestleMania 42.”

Nesheiwat -- from Poughkeepsie, New York -- told NBC Local on Sunday before the contest winner was announced that he was aiming for the grand prize. But not so much for the Super Bowl tickets.   

“Trying to win the best-dressed costume,” he said. “Gotta take my kid to WrestleMania.”

Barkley pulled off his incredible backwards hurdle against the Jaguars during the 2024 season -- running through one tackle, spinning around another and then hurdling another player backside first. The image of the play landed on the cover of “Madden 26.”

Nesheiwat said turning the play into a costume took him about three hours.

“Got a mannequin, had to put it together, got some Fanatics gear, put it on and that was it,” he said.

Last year's best-dressed fan at the inaugural Fanatics Fest was a Buffalo Bills fan dressed as a member of Bills Mafia crashing through a folding table -- which means both winners were airborne in some way.

Nesheiwat, after arriving at Fanatics Fest at around 10 a.m. Sunday, was asked if he was going to hold Barkley over his head for the entire six-hour event.

“We’ll take some breaks here and there,” he said.

He had Barkley in position when he showed off his outfit to Eagles cornerback Cooper DeJean.

"What the heck?" DeJean said after seeing it.

Now that the Barkley costume has earned him free admission to some of the grandest events in sports, Nesheiwat wants to give it to the actual backwards hurdler.  

“I think he would love it,” he said. “Maybe I can gift it to him.”

Or just wear it to the Super Bowl.

Sports Jun 22

Teacher makes $250,000 trade with Tom Brady after finishing third in Fanatics Fest competition

Philadelphia Eagles Nov 4, 2024

Eagles left in awe after Saquon Barkley's insane hurdle vs. Jaguars