Saquon Barkley's parents watched him become a star: Here's their story
My dad wanted me to be a boxer... But when it came time for me to decide what I really wanted to pursue, he let me make my own decision. And I chose football, because that was my passion... I was fortunate to have a dad who let me try different things and allowed me to follow my true passion.
Saquon Barkley's parents, Alibay Barkley and Tonya Johnson, laid the foundation that turned a regular child into an NFL star. Their contribution to his legacy can still be seen through the support and guidance they offer courtside, at home, and through his charitable activities.
Source: Twitter
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Saquon Barkley's parents, Alibay and Tonya Johnson, are native New Yorkers.
- Alibay Barkley and Tonya Johnson have raised five children: Rashad, Saquon, Sha-quona, Ali, and Aliyah.
- Alibay Barker is a former boxer who reached the NY Golden Gloves semifinals before suffering a career-ending shoulder injury.
- Tonya, is a community advocate and entrepreneur who serves as vice president for the Michael Ann & Saquon Barkley Hope Foundation.
Saquon Barkley's profile summary
Full name | Saquon Rasul Quevis Barkley |
Common name | Saquon Barkley |
Nickname | SaQuads |
Gender | Male |
Date of birth | 9 February 1997 |
Age | 28 years as of 2025 |
Zodiac sign | Aquarius |
Place of birth | The Bronx, New York, United States |
Residence | Coplay, Pennsylvania, United States |
Nationality | American |
Ethnicity | Black |
Religion | Christian |
Height in centimetres | 183 |
Height in feet | 6' |
Weight in kilograms | 106 |
Weight in pounds | 233 |
Hair colour | Black |
Eye colour | Brown |
Father | Alibay Barkley |
Mother | Tonya Johnson |
Siblings | 4 |
Relationship status | Engaged |
Partner | Anna Congdon |
Children | 2 |
High school | Whitehall High School |
College | The Pennsylvania State University |
Profession | Professional football player |
Position(s) | Running back |
Draft year | 2018 |
Team (as of 2025) | Philadelphia Eagles |
Net worth | $30 million–$32 million |
Social media |
Saquon Barkley's parents: Raising an NFL star
Saquon Barkley's parents are credited with his dominant start to his NFL career. Born into an athletic family, Barkley was introduced to various sports as a young child, including boxing, football, and basketball.
Source: Instagram
Growing up in the Bronx in New York, USA, Alibay Barkley and Tonya Johnson made great sacrifices to raise their five children.
In an interview with Gridiron Magazine, Saquon Barkley's great-uncle, Iran Barkley, said:
The Barkleys headed some two hours up I-78 to Pennsylvania and, in doing so, changed their futures forever...
Alibay Barkley
Source: Twitter
- Full name: Alibay Barkley
- Place of birth: New York, USA
- Nationality: American
- Profession: Former professional boxer
Saquon Barkley's father is a former boxer. He was described as 'a pretty good boxer back in the day' by his son in his Players' Tribune essay. In an interview with Gridiron Magazine, Saquon revealed that his father even reached the Golden Gloves at one time.
Unlike his uncle, Iran Barkley, a decorated boxing champion, Alibay's boxing career was short-lived. It was impeded by an injury and drug problem that started before his son, Saquon, was born.
During the 1992 New York State Golden Gloves semifinals, he threw a hook that either dislocated or partially dislocated his shoulder. Without access to proper medical treatment, Barkley was unable to continue competing professionally.
At the age of 19, the James Monroe High School alum was arrested while on probation on a gun charge. He was then incarcerated at the Rikers Island correctional facility for a year.
In 2024, he was charged with possession of ammunition, criminal possession of a weapon, and criminal possession of a firearm. He was stopped for an obstructed licence plate and then arrested after a loaded and unlicensed handgun was found in his grey Chevrolet Corvette.
Tonya Johnson
Source: Facebook
- Full name: Tonya Johnson
- Place of birth: New York, USA
- Nationality: American
- Profession: Community advocate, fashion coordinator
Saquon Barkley's mother was born and raised in New York, USA, in July 1971 and is 54 years old as of 2025.
Tonya is a businesswoman and launched her fashion store, Mama B Resale Boutique, in March 2025 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA. She also serves as the vice president of the Barkley family's charity organisation, The Michael Ann & Saquon Barkley Hope Foundation.
Saquon Barkley’s brothers and sisters
Source: Facebook
The Barkley family is made up of five children: Rashard Johnson, Aliyah, Ali, Sha-quona, and Saquon Barkley. The family's rise from a rough neighbourhood and homelessness is fully attributed to Saquon Barkley's parents' efforts. Have a look at the details of each child in Saquon Barkley's family.
Rashard Johnson
Source: Instagram
Saquon Barkley's elder brother, Rashard Johnson, is the owner of the Johnson Barkley Handyman Service company and Three Roots Landscaping and Junk Removal. Rashad is married to Katrina Krasenics, with whom he shares three daughters.
Rashad and Katrina's daughter, Amirah Johnson, was diagnosed with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome, or DiGeorge syndrome, at age 5. 22q11.2 deletion syndrome is a congenital disorder caused by the deletion of a segment of chromosome 22, one of 23 pairs of chromosomes.
As part of the NFL’s My Cause, My Cleats initiative, Saquon wore customised cleats with Amirah's picture and the DiGeorge syndrome logo to create awareness of the rare condition.
Sha-quona Barkley
Source: Facebook
American designer and event planner Sha-quona Barkley is Saquon's eldest sister. She is a mother of two: Karson, a budding football player, and Kaisley.
Like her siblings, Sha-quona attended Whitehall High School. She later went to Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, where she completed an associate's degree in mass communication and media studies between 2013 and 2015. In August 2023, she graduated from Cedar Crest College, where she studied business administration and marketing.
She is a creative and brand strategist with prior working experience at the Blue Mountain Resort, Urban One, Inc., ArtsQuest, TIDAL, and Roc Nation. Her design skills can be seen in her personal apparel projects for her brother and the Michael Ann & Saquon Barkley Hope Foundation.
Ali Barkley
Source: Instagram
Saquon Barkley's brother, Ali Barkley, is a college football player currently playing for the West Chester University Golden Rams team. Like his brother, Ali played multiple sports in high school, including wrestling and football.
Ali attended Cheshire Academy and Whitehall High School. He is a 2022 redshirt freshman who also received recognition as a top special teams scout team player. Available high school stats reveal that he rushed 1,120 yards and completed 14 touchdowns on 184 carries in his senior year.
After graduating from Whitehall High School, Ali enrolled and played for Temple University and the University of Akron before transferring to West Chester University in 2025.
Aliyah Barkley
Source: Facebook
Aliyah Barkley is Ali's twin sister. She studied at Whitehall High School and later at West Virginia University, where she graduated in May 2025. She is a member of Saquon Barkley's social media management team.
Like her twin and elder brother, Aliyah was a student-athlete, participating in track and field. She excelled in the long jump, ranking first in her team, and in the 100 metres, where she ranked second.
FAQs
- Was Saquon Barkley adopted? The NFL player was not adopted.
- Who is Saquon Barkley's father? Saquon Barkley's father is Alibay Barkley, a former boxer.
- Who is Saquon Barkley's mom? The running back's mother is Tonya Johnson.
- What is Alibay Barkley known for? Alibay Barkley is primarily known as the father of NFL running back Saquon Barkley.
- Did Saquon Barkley buy his parents a house? In 2018, Saquon fulfilled a promise to his parents by buying them a $424,500 four-bedroom home in Whitehall, Pennsylvania.
- What do Saquon Barkley's parents do for a living? Alibay Barkley was a boxer, and Tonya Johnson is known for her philanthropic work.
- Who is Saquon Barkley's twin sister? He does not have a twin sister, but has twin siblings, Ali and Aliyah Barkley.
- Is Saquon related to Iran Barkley? Decorated boxer Iran Barkley is Saquon Barkley's paternal uncle.
- Is Saquon Barkley related to Charles Barkley? Saquon and former NBA player Charles Barkley are not related.
- Who is the mother of Saquon's babies? Barkley's fiancée, Anna Congdon, is the mother of his children, Jada Clare and Saquon Jr. Barkley.
Saquon Barkley's parents played a key role in fostering excellence in their children. The couple's efforts in rebuilding their lives after homelessness and incarceration emphasise their dedication to the success of their children, Rashard, Saquon, Sha-quona, Ali, and Aliyah.
Legit.ng also published an article about Cameron Sutton's parents, Nedra and Dalton Sutton. Cameron attributes his sporting excellence and success to his parents and upbringing.
Despite their fame and popularity, the Suttons have maintained a low profile, keeping their lives out of the public eye. Read on for a detailed report about the Philadelphia Eagles' running back's family background.
Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
