Commanders’ Tyler Owens puts together potential highlight of the year with insane special teams tackle

Rarely do you see special teams highlights take social media by storm, especially ones that don't end in points.

Commanders safety Tyler Owens proved himself to be the exception to that rule on Sunday afternoon. The Washington punt specialist drew rave reviews for his desire to bring down his opposition partway through the Commanders' Week 1 tilt with the Eagles.

Owens slipped past his blockers to deliver a crunching hit on Philadelphia return man Will Shipley. His fluidity and doggedness left a lasting impact on what first appeared to be a routine play.

Here's what you need to know.

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Watch Tyler Owens' insane tackle

The Commanders gunner danced through the mire to cut down Will Shipley's prospective return, shrugging off four challenges before striking down Philadelphia's punt returner.

Owens used three stiff arms to leave his markers on the canvas, giving himself some additional runway after crossing midfield. The Texas Tech alum then set his sights on Shipley, sliding underneath the Clemson alum and driving him into the ground to complete the rep.

Gunning is hardly a glamorous profession, even for its most talented pupils. Owens' commitment to the cause made an impression in the airwaves, with Fox's broadcast crew of Kevin Burkhardt and Tom Brady singing Owens' praises as a replay of his waltz danced across the telecast.

"Look at him running through these gunners that are trying to get in his way," Brady said. "No way, not today. [Washington special team coach Larry] Izzo is going to be very proud of that."

Footage of Owens' epic rep took social media by storm, garnering millions of views and impressions. The 25-year-old was felled by an ankle injury in the second half, limiting his effectiveness. Still, his pursuit on his tackle of Shipley lingered long after he left the field. He is likely to command plenty of compliments when Izzo and the special team crew study film from Sunday's game.

Who is Tyler Owens?

Owens is a 25-year-old safety who stars on the Commanders' punt team. A highly-touted recruit out of Plano, Texas, Owens shined at Texas Tech, amassing 56 tackles across two seasons in Lubbock.

He landed with Washington as an undrafted free agent, signing with the Commanders following the 2024 Draft. He entered the 2026 season with 24 tackles and one forced fumble across his professional career.