Seattle Seahawks tight end AJ Barner has become one of the breakout stars of the 2025 NFL season heading into Super Bowl LX against the New England Patriots at Levi’s Stadium on February 8, 2026.
The second-year player finished the regular season with 52 catches, 519 yards and six receiving touchdowns, while also running the “Barnyard,” Seattle’s version of the tush push that has converted at a 10-for-11 rate this season, per ESPN.
Here’s what you need to know about his family:
1. AJ Barner’s Father, Al Barner, Played College Football at Kent State and Coached AJ Growing Up in Aurora, Ohio
Albert Javonte “AJ” Barner was born on May 3, 2002, in Aurora, Ohio, to Al and Reva Barner, per his University of Michigan bio. The family has lived in Aurora, a small city about 30 miles southeast of Cleveland, since 2006.
His father played college football at Kent State University and was instrumental in AJ’s early development,coaching him during his childhood years. AJ is the fifth person in his family to carry his name, a fact he’s permanently memorialized in ink.
“One of mine is for my name. I’m the fifth person in my family with my name,” he told Seahawks.com.
2. AJ Barner’s Mother, Reva, Was the Family’s Academic Enforcer, and AJ Has a Tattoo Tribute to Her Called ‘Reva’s Rose’
While Al Barner provided the football foundation, Reva Barner served as the family’s anchor off the field. She made sure AJ’s grades stayed on track so he could play football at a top college program, according to EssentiallySports.
AJ’s most personal tattoo is a tribute to his mother. It combines the Rose Bowl logo, representing Michigan’s national championship victory over Washington, with a nod to his favorite Drake song, “Sandra’s Rose.” “My favorite song of all time is ‘Sandra’s Rose,’ by Drake and I’m my mom’s only son, so I’ve got Reva’s Rose,” Barner told Seahawks.com.
AJ has also spoken about how his parents’ support carried him through multiple difficult transitions, from Aurora to Indiana, then to Michigan via the transfer portal, and finally to Seattle as a fourth-round NFL Draft pick. “That hurt when I had to leave, and the whole process of leaving was painful,” Barner said of his transfer from Indiana. “I grew a lot, and matured a lot during that time,” per the Michigan Daily.
3. AJ Barner Grew Up With 3 Sisters & Is the Only Son in the Family
AJ Barner grew up alongside three sisters: Kennedie, Blake and Karis.
He’s joked about the downsides of being outnumbered: “Probably having to watch more not-guy movies on road trips like Parent Trap, I remember was one. Little movies like that when there’s three girls in the front of the car. Or when we go on vacation, we weren’t doing that many fun activities, we’re laying at the pool or the beach the whole time,” he told Seahawks.com.
4. He’s a Devout Christian Whose Faith Anchors His Close-Knit Family
Faith is a central part of the Barner family identity. AJ is a devout Christian who has spoken openly about how his relationship with God has guided him through every major transition in his life, per A Lamp Unto My Cleats.
When he wrote his farewell letter to the University of Michigan before the 2024 NFL Draft, he opened by discussing his faith before anything else, per A Lamp Unto My Cleats. EssentiallySports noted that “a devout Christian, AJ believes that God gave him strength when he needed it,” per EssentiallySports.
AJ also values Ohio itself as part of his family story. When asked what he misses most about home, he told Seahawks.com: “Great people. Great families. You can get a little bit of everything. You get all the seasons, you can get some land, you can get some city, and I just think the people in general are always pretty nice,” per Seahawks.com.
5. He Grew Up Idolizing Fellow Cleveland-Area Product Travis Kelce and Says His Family’s Motto Is ‘Run Your Own Race’
Barner has never hidden his Cleveland roots. “I’m from Cleveland, Ohio, and Travis Kelce is from there so I’m a big Travis Kelce fan,” he told Field Gulls. He also studies San Francisco’s George Kittle, calling the two “the mainstays of the position,” per Field Gulls.
Before the 2025 season, Barner spent part of the offseason training with UFC Hall of Famer Chuck Liddell, which coaches say helps explain his ability to absorb contact on the play, per the Seattle Times via the Union-Bulletin.
Whether or not the Barnyard gets called on Sunday, Barner’s path from undersized Aurora freshman to Super Bowl starter is a testament to the family that raised him. “I continue to grow in all facets of my game, but hopefully soon we’re going to be talking about me as one of the best tight ends in the league,” Barner told Field Gulls.
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