White cornerback, Black QB: did the Eagles grab the ultimate DEI Super Bowl win?

Observers have jokingly pointed to Cooper DeJean as a diversity hire for the NFL champions. But they have succeeded by challenging outdated ways of thinking

By now, those who watched Sunday's Super Bowl have most likely forgotten about the house ads promoting racial and cultural unity. That's no doubt because a much stronger statement was delivered midway through the second quarter when a pass by the Kansas City Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes was intercepted and returned for an touchdown by Philadelphia's Cooper DeJean.

DeJean, the first white player to start at cornerback in a Super Bowl in 24 years, has cheekily been described by media figures such as Bomani Jones as the league's ultimate DEI hire. But while those comments have been made with tongues firmly planted in cheeks, there is some merit in describing the Eagles' victory as a win for diversity, equity and inclusion - something that suddenly finds itself under attack in America.