NFL News: Cowboys’ Alijah Clark praised for hustle vs Eagles

Dallas Cowboys safety Alijah Clark is far from a household name among NFL fans, but on Sunday he epitomized what it means to never give up on a play.

With just over five minutes left in the Cowboys’ matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles and the game tied at 21, Dallas punted the ball away to Xavier Gipson. The returner made a few people miss, but when he tried to hit up the field, Clark knocked the ball out of his hands.

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Cowboys punter Trent Sieg pounced on the ball to give Dallas great field position. Dallas failed to get points on the board. However, they won the game 24–21 thanks to a Brandon Aubrey field goal.

Clark was hailed as the unsung hero Sunday night and Monday morning when a replay of the punt showed he was shoved to the ground trying to get down the field. He managed to fight through the Eagles’ special teams unit to cause the turnover.

Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer was impressed.

Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer looks on before the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at AT&T Stadium on Nov. 23, 2025. (Kevin Jairaj/Imagn Images)

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“It’s a game ball. He gets a game ball for it,” he told NFL reporter Ed Werder.

He was far from the only one.

Clark, 22, joined the Cowboys after spending his collegiate career at Rutgers and Syracuse. He has appeared in six games for Dallas and has 15 tackles.

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More hustle games like the one against the Eagles will certainly earn him more playing time.