NEED TO KNOW
- Saquon Barkley is one of five siblings
- His parents, Alibay Barkley and Tonya Johnson, share children Rashard, Sha-quona, Saquon and twins Ali and Aliyah
- His younger brother is a running back, too
Saquon Barkley wouldn’t be where he is now without the support of his four siblings.
The Philadelphia Eagles running back is one of five children of Alibay Barkley and Tonya Johnson. Together, they share Rashard, Sha-quona, Saquon and twins Ali and Aliyah.
“Now growing up with five siblings, I had an older brother and sister, and a younger brother and sister. Being the middle child you know, before my twin brother and sister kind of came, I was the spoiled one. I wasn’t really a fan of the twins coming,” Saquon told Newsday in 2019. “But it was fun. I learned a lot from them, especially my older brother and sisters.”
The NFL star is now the subject of Prime Video’s Saquon, which debuted on Oct. 9. The documentary traces his ultimate journey to become a Super Bowl champion.
Here’s everything to know about Saquon Barkley’s four siblings: Rashard Johnson, Sha-quona Barkley, Ali Barkley and Aliyah Barkley.
The family is originally from New York
Saquon was born in the Bronx, New York, but the family moved to Pennsylvania after Tonya witnessed gang activity in her neighborhood.
“It was now or never,” she told ESPN in April 2018. “The block I was living on was getting a little too out of hand, and I didn’t want to live in fear for my kids … you hear some of these stories about people who lost childhood friends, and I didn’t want to be one of those mothers.”
Over the years, Saquon has called several towns in the state home — including Bethlehem, Allentown and Coplay — yet his roots have remained firmly planted in Lehigh County, roughly an hour from Philadelphia.
When Saquon was in elementary school, the family briefly experienced homelessness, with the siblings staying with relatives or friends, per ESPN. That time period inspired Saquon’s work with the Covenant House and Children of Promise, groups that help adolescents and young adults experiencing homelessness, per The Athletic. He ultimately was named the Giants’ Walter Payton Man of the Year Award nominee in 2022 and 2023.
“I was probably six or seven and we got evicted. I bounced around,” he told The Athletic in November 2023. “Having the support of family and friends helped us, and that got us back on our feet. Seeing what Covenant House does, that’s where the relationship happened.”
They come from a boxing background
The family’s great-uncle, Iran “The Blade” Barkley, made a name for himself in the boxing world, securing WBC titles in the middleweight, super middleweight and light heavyweight divisions from 1988 through 1992.
Iran’s most celebrated triumph came in 1988 when he delivered a stunning third-round knockout against Thomas Hearns to claim the WBC middleweight crown. His career also featured a memorable and contentious bout with Roberto Durán in 1989, which ended in a split-decision loss but was later recognized by Ring Magazine as the “Fight of the Year.”
Saquon’s father, Alibay, was once on a clear path to a professional boxing career, training and competing in the New York State Golden Gloves. But during a critical semifinal match in 1992, a shoulder injury derailed his ambitions.
“I threw a hook off a jab and my shoulder popped,” Alibay told Penn Live in December 2017. “And I never had the money to get it fixed.”
Sha-quona created an apparel line for Saquon
Sha-quona, Saquon’s eldest sister, is a mother of two who works across branding, marketing, event planning and design, per her LinkedIn. Most recently, she worked as an assistant manager of special events for the Blue Mountain Resort in Pennsylvania’s Poconos.
However, her most personal project, Two-Six Sports, is an apparel line that pays tribute to Saquon’s journey from the Lehigh Valley to the NFL.
“So, Two-Six is something that I came up [with]. I’ve always been in the creative field, and I always wanted to do something. I love to tell stories,” she told WFMZ in February 2025. “Well, I’m basically telling my brother’s stories through apparel.”
She is equally proud of Saquon’s accomplishments on the field.
“He actually pushes us to be better, too,” she continued. “So, actually seeing him say, ‘Listen, I’m going to the Super Bowl,’ and actually doing it on his birthday, I mean, what more can you ask for? I’m excited. I cried. We’re just happy to be here.”
Rashard’s daughter has a rare medical condition
Rashard is Saquon’s older brother and the owner of a repair service company, per his mom’s Instagram.
Though he largely remains out of the spotlight, his daughter, Amirah, has been diagnosed with 22q deletion syndrome, a rare chromosomal disorder also known as DiGeorge syndrome, per ESPN. The condition can lead to heart defects, immune system challenges and developmental delays.
Her journey has deeply impacted Saquon, who honored her each year from 2018 to 2022 by wearing cleats emblazoned with “22Q,” per the International 22q11.2 Foundation. He donned the shoes as part of the NFL’s “My Cause, My Cleats” campaign, which allows players to raise awareness for the causes close to their hearts via customized cleats.
“It’s sad, but if you got to meet my niece, you wouldn’t even be able to tell,” Saquon told ESPN in November 2018. “She’s high spirits, happy, loving, and I’m just happy I can be able to be a role model and try to use my platform to raise more awareness.”
Ali is a college football player
Football runs deep in the Barkley family. Saquon’s little brother, Ali — who stands at 6’1″ and 225 lbs. — first turned heads at Whitehall High School in Pennsylvania, where the running back powered through defenses for over 1,000 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns as a senior, per his athlete bio. After a year at Cheshire Academy, Ali walked on at Temple University in 2021.
Ali didn’t see game action in his two seasons with the Owls and later transferred to the University of Akron. In 2025, he redshirted with the West Chester University Golden Rams.
Over the years, Ali has picked up a number of tips from his older brother.
“We’ve always had a ball in our hands — backyard football,” Ali told CBS News in September 2025 about his relationship with Saquon. “I get to talk to him, hang out, learn things from him, and bring it onto the field. He keeps giving me confidence day in and day out.”
Aliyah is a former athlete
Aliyah was a track and field athlete at Whitehall High School in Pennsylvania, where she excelled in the sprints and long jump, competing in events such as the 100-meter, 200-meter, 4×100 relay and long jump, according to an athlete bio.
She later enrolled at West Virginia University and graduated in May 2025 with her entire family at her side, per Instagram.
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