A special teams snap rarely becomes the defining highlight of an NFC East divisional clash. Still, Washington Commanders safety Tyler Owens achieved exactly that during Sunday’s season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles. In an astonishing display of effort, power, and physicality, the Texas Tech product demonstrated precisely why he stays a vital piece of the 53-man roster.
During a punt coverage rep at Lincoln Financial Field, Owens delivered a sequence that resembled a professional wrestling highlight. Operating as a gunner, he sprinted down the field and encountered immediate resistance from the Eagles’ blocking unit. Instead of being washed out of the play, Owens absorbed the contact, drove his pads low, and overpowered two separate blockers while never taking his eyes off the target.
As Eagles returner Britain Covey fielded the ball and attempted to leap over a grounded player, Owens arrived at full speed. Catching the airborne returner, the safety drove Covey into the turf with a ferocious, spinebuster-style tackle that immediately halted the play and set the internet ablaze.
That one play is a perfect example of what it takes to stick around in the NFL as a special teams ace. Raw athleticism might get a player in the door, but the willingness to crash through double-teams, embrace high-speed collisions, and finish the job with a textbook tackle is what keeps them on the 53-man roster.
While defensive coordinator Daronte Jones continues to groom him for a role in the secondary, Owens is already proving his worth with aggressive, tone-setting play on special teams. Washington may have walked away with a tough 24-22 loss to the Eagles, but Owens’ highlight-reel tackle proved exactly what kind of intensity it takes to make an impact in the game’s third phase.
