With one minute left in the first half of Super Bowl LIX, it was safe to say the game had already gone differently than anyone expected.
The defending champions, the Kansas City Chiefs, went scoreless against a Philadelphia Eagles team that had 17 points on the board. Then something even more unexpected happened: Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes threw an interception right into the hands of former Wisconsin linebacker and current Eagles player Zack Baun.
While Baun gained zero yards on the interception, the possession ended two plays with a touchdown for Eagles wide receiver AJ Brown, leaving Philadelphia up 22 to zero by the time the first half ended.
Baun has experience catching interceptions dating back to his time as an outside linebacker for the Badgers. Baun played for Wisconsin from 2015 to 2019, spending the 2018 and 2019 seasons as a starter. The Wisconsin native caught one interception in the 2018 season and another in 2019, which he returned for a 34-yard touchdown.
Baun was drafted in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints. Baun spent four mostly quiet seasons with the Saints before signing a one year deal with the Eagles ahead of the 2024 season. A change in position with the Eagles allowed Baun to shine throughout the regular and postseason.
While playing for the Badgers and the Saints, Baun played outside linebacker but has transitioned to inside linebacker after joining the Eagles’ roster. This position, sometimes called the “quarterback of defense” due to the linebacker's ability to call and change plays for the defense, allowed Baun to take a bigger role with the team.
In the first game of the regular season against the Green Bay Packers, Baun recorded 15 tackles and two sacks in what was the first multi-sack game of his career. He also logged a regular season interception when the Eagles played the Jacksonville Jaguars in the regular season. Baun currently has the fifth-highest number of solo tackles in the NFL this season.
“Defense wins championships,” Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts said after the Eagles’ 40-22 win.
Baun, who had the most solo tackles for the Eagles’ defense in the game, played an integral part in the defense and the eventual win.
Gabriella Hartlaub is the former arts editor for The Daily Cardinal. She has also written state politics and campus news. She currently is a summer reporting intern with Raleigh News and Observer. Follow her on Twitter at @gabihartlaub.
