JJ Watt Calls Tyler Owens' Punt-Coverage Tackle One of Football's Greatest Plays

Q: What makes an undrafted rookie's special teams tackle so spectacular that J.J. Watt called it one of football's greatest plays?

It was spectacular because Tyler Owens combined elite technique, rare effort, and finishing power in a single special-teams rep — the kind of play coaches use as teaching tape. On the punt, the undrafted Washington safety was double-teamed as a gunner by two Eagles blockers. Instead of getting stalled, he split the vise, fought through grabs and body contact, kept his balance, and continued driving downfield. Even after the initial block, he did not slow or lose leverage, which is unusual on punt coverage where a gunner’s job is often disrupted before he can affect the return. What made the clip stand out to J.J. Watt and others was that the play was not just a hard hit. It was a full demonstration of special-teams fundamentals: beating the vice, maintaining speed, refusing to stay blocked, taking the proper angle, and finishing decisively on returner Britain Covey. The violent tackle at the end made it memorable, but the work Owens did before the hit is what elevated it. Owens’ athletic profile helps explain how he pulled it off. Washington has valued him as a special-teams specialist since he made the roster as an undrafted free agent, and his combine numbers — including a 41-inch vertical and 12-foot-2 broad jump — reflect the explosiveness seen on the play. That is why Watt called it one of the greatest football plays he had seen: it captured effort, strain, technique, and physical dominance on one snap.

3 articles · Updated · Bleacher Report · Sep 14

JJ Watt praised Washington Commanders safety Tyler Owens after a viral Sunday punt-coverage rep, calling it “legitimately one of the greatest football plays” he has seen.
Owens earned that reaction by splitting two Philadelphia Eagles blockers, shedding additional contact and finishing with a heavy tackle on the return.
Watt said the sequence was so technically strong that coaches across America would likely use the rep in meetings this week.
The play quickly spread online and is already being held up as a model of elite special-teams effort and execution.