There simply isn't enough time to devote an article to every player who stepped up in the Dallas Cowboys' historic comeback win over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. The spotlight is on Dak Prescott and George Pickens for obvious reasons, but the Cowboys don't win the game if not for Alijah Clark, an undrafted rookie out of Syracuse.
There were several turning points, but Clark delivered the biggest of them all when he forced a fumble on Eagles punt returner Xavier Gipson with 5:25 left in the fourth quarter and the score tied up at 21-21.
What Cowboys fans didn’t realize in real time, though, is that Clark shouldn’t have been anywhere near that tackle. The FOX broadcast caught an incredible angle that shows it was one of the best hustle plays you’ll ever see from an NFL player. Even Tom Brady couldn’t believe it.
Cowboys safety Alijah Clark is going viral for his incredible hustle play vs. the Eagles
Long snapper recovered the fumble. Incredible hustle
PHIvsDAL on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/GPTv8nd6XM
— NFL (@NFL) November 24, 2025
That might be the best individual effort play you will ever see. It's a rep that should be highlighted in every locker room across the globe, regardless of the sport. While it takes a certain skill to become a quality special teams gunner, Clark's moment boiled down to sheer hustle and determination.
A lot of players would have jogged down the field after taking a hit like that early in the play. Heck, Sidney Brown probably should've kept pounding on Clark after the initial hit. He won the rep emphatically, but the rookie bounced back right back up, shrugged off the second hit, and sprinted past Brown to put himself in a spot to make a play.
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The Cowboys, unfortunately, did not capitalize on the ensuing possession, turning the ball over on downs after some suspect play-calling from Brian Schottenheimer. It deserved to be THE moment, but that doesn't take anything away from its importance. After all, it deprived the Eagles of a chance to potentially ice the game with a long drive in the final five minutes.
While Dallas' defense came up with another stop to get the ball back to the offense, Clark's hustle broke Philly's spirit and kept the wind in the Cowboys' sails.
It's one of the plays of the season in the NFL. Period. And Clark will likely have a long career in the league because of it.