PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Fly, birdies, fly.

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, running back Saquon Barkley and team owner Jeffrey Lurie played this week at Merion Golf Club with a group of golfers that included former president barack obama.

“He’s like a guy figure,” Hurts said Wednesday. “President Obama. Leader of all time. Great presence. I guess the word is, down to earth. I can only imagine that lifestyle and the different things that come with it. “Seeing him out there, having fun, talking a little nonsense, it was great.”

One caveat: Hurts was not allowed to play golf, per the terms of his $255 million contract. Hurts was still enjoying the spoils that came from going down the road with the former president.

Three straight wins puts the Eagles back in the swing of things, and Hurts joked that at some point he would surpass Obama on the field.

“I told him you don’t want these problems yet,” Hurts said. “His day will come.”

Hurts, 26, said the only star he still wants to meet is actor Denzel Washington.

Obama was in Philadelphia this week to defend Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential candidate.

Barkley, in his first season with the Eagles, said he took the rare opportunity to play golf with a president to ask Obama about leadership. He found out about the invitation last week from Lurie.

“It was probably one of the coolest experiences I’ve ever had in my life,” Barkley said. “Very nice. It’s amazing, to be honest. I spent about four or five hours with him and got to do something I love to do: play golf.”

So did the running back beat Obama?

“No,” Barkley said, laughing. “I’m in season right now. But it’s pretty good. “He’s an athlete.”

Barkley said the “most interesting” thing he took away from the experience was seeing how kindly Obama treated everyone, from a caddy to other golfers to staff members.

“I already try to do it, but you always try to do it even more,” Barkley said.

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