Ex-NFL star praises Cowboys player's 'all-out effort' on key special teams turnover

Dallas Cowboys subordinate Alijah Clark turned heads implicit the play erstwhile helium showed disconnected unthinkable hustle to unit a cardinal turnover during the team’s triumph implicit the Philadelphia Eagles.

During a Cowboys punt, Clark was pushed down aggregate times but inactive got backmost up to origin Xavier Gipson to fumble. Many NFL fans and players applauded Clark, including erstwhile prima walk rusher Shawne Merriman, who told Fox News Digital that benignant of effort is precisely what immoderate manager would privation to spot retired of a player.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Shawne Merriman #56 of the San Diego Chargers warms up connected the tract earlier the AFC Divisional Playoff Game against the New England Patriots held connected Jan. 14, 2007 astatine Qualcomm Stadium successful San Diego, California.  (Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images)

"It was wide coaching portion of what you privation to amusement each precocious schoolhouse kid successful the country," Merriman said. "People travel up to maine each the time, they privation to play successful the NFL, that’s what I would amusement them. If you ever privation to marque a team, if you’re connected the obstruction whether you tin marque a squad oregon not, you bash that, you enactment yourself successful the champion presumption to marque that 53-man roster. That’s wide coaching portion of all-out effort of what these young players request to see."

Clark joined the Cowboys arsenic an undrafted escaped cause this year. Merriman said that it’s those types of plays that would support him connected a roster for a agelong time.

NFL TO HONOR AMERICA'S 250TH BIRTHDAY WITH SPECIAL TRIBUTES ONCE CALENDAR FLIPS TO 2026

Dallas Cowboys information Alijah Clark (38) and cornerback Trikweze Bridges (25) respond successful the archetypal 4th against the Denver Broncos astatine Empower Field astatine Mile High connected Oct. 26, 2025. (Ron Chenoy/Imagn Images)

"That is what determines if a feline is gonna marque a squad oregon not. I ever archer guys, ‘The much you tin do.’ If you tin tally down connected peculiar teams and marque a play similar that, I cognize guys who stayed astir successful the NFL for a precise agelong clip making plays similar that and that’s what you request to do," Merriman added.

While the Cowboys failed to summation immoderate points aft the play, Dallas was capable to triumph the crippled 24-21.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Bundle FOX One and FOX Nation to watercourse the full FOX Nation library, positive unrecorded FOX News, Sports, and Entertainment astatine our lowest terms of the year. The connection ends connected Jan. 4, 2026. (Fox One; Fox Nation)

He’s appeared successful six games for Dallas and has 15 tackles.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports sum connected X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.