Washington Commanders safety Tyler Owens became a household name around the NFL on Sunday. During Washington’s Week 1 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, the third-year safety and special-teams standout had everyone around the league talking for one of the best special-teams reps you will ever see,
After Sunday’s game, everyone was talking about it. On Monday, the clip of Owens dominating two Eagles en route to dropping Philadelphia’s punt returner was still making its rounds. NFL legend JJ Watt called it “one of the greatest football plays I’ve ever seen.”
Pat McAfee, a longtime former NFL punter, can appreciate a good special teams gunner and gushed over Owens on his Monday show.
Other former NFL players were in awe of Owens because many believe
the game just isn’t as physical as it once was. What Owens did was a breath of fresh air.
Here’s the play:
Tyler Owens could not be stopped 😳
— NFL (@NFL) September 13, 2026
WASvsPHI on FOX/FOX One
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/d4Tyw1MnqS
Washington head coach Dan Quinn praised Owens on Monday.
“I didn’t see the start of it on the field," Quinn said of Owens' viral play. 'Might have caught like the corner where he beat the vice to go down the field, but I did see the tackle. And he had actually made a play earlier on a punt as well, where he had a tackle in a similar spot where he had beat a vice and went all the way inside. So that’s the mark of a good gunner when they're trying to vice you. So it was one of my proudest plays of his. He’s a guy whose speed and strain are always there, but to see that one come together, it was just awesome. And it was so him, like, ‘Oh, thanks, man. That’s what I do.’ You know, like it was like no big deal. And you’re like, ‘Man, this is a really big deal.’ It was a really cool play, and I got to see it probably like everybody else did from the network feed afterward. And it was one of my favorite plays in a long time on special teams, for sure.”
It’s hard to get almost everyone to agree on anything these days. But it was unanimous with Owens' play.
Here are some of the top reactions.
WHAT A LEGEND
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) September 14, 2026
WHAT A STUD
THAT’S FOOTBALL THRU AND THRU FROM TYLER OWENS #MondayNightCountdown pic.twitter.com/yrOzQo25Ev
Tyler Owens is EVERYTHING you would want as a special teamer and as a teammate..
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) September 14, 2026
This is a SPECIAL rep #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/bt0tBd3P1c
“That’s what you want! … It’s about never stopping. It’s about putting it all on the line. That’s what [Tyler Owens] did.”
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) September 14, 2026
Rex Ryan praises Tyler Owens’ performance in the Washington Commanders' Week 1 game. pic.twitter.com/Bjy7dZOEDX
Every football player wants to score TDs and catch ints, but this here is the type of SPLASH PLAY coaches LOVE and will lead to a long NFL career.
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) September 14, 2026
Tyler Owens with one of the greatest “GROWN ASS MAN” plays ever.
Don’t hate on playing special teams.
It could change your life. pic.twitter.com/yfCraTM9ou
Cowboys Legend Michael Irvin recognizes greatness here. 🥹
— K Raising Hail (@karebear888) September 14, 2026
Commanders S Tyler Owen is a HULK. 😤
I got Sean Taylor 👼 vibes watching Owens truck those Eagles players yesterday. 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/hjihjE5vee
My gosh!!! pic.twitter.com/9uiUIWVUA1
— Will Blackmon (@WillBlackmon) September 13, 2026
LOL how are they this quick, they done made Tyler Owens the Hulk 😭😭 pic.twitter.com/QThouP3qU4
— 𝒆𝒍𝒊… (@CMNDERS) September 14, 2026
.@Commanders @Eagles Special Team Commander STC; Tyler Owens unleashed the beast. #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/CJUsO4F3CY
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) September 14, 2026
Now THIS is the proper way to use AI.
— Hater Report (@HaterReport) September 14, 2026
They turned Tyler Owens into the Hulk 😂 pic.twitter.com/yDziA4uv9S
This is one of the best special teams plays you’ll see. It’s how Tyler Owens can have a long career. He is damn good https://t.co/2FZTwiSaUu
— John Keim (@john_keim) September 14, 2026
This is an ALL-TIME rep by Commanders S Tyler Owens 🤯
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) September 13, 2026
(via @NFL) pic.twitter.com/AW47P6Hq1q
Not just special teams.
— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) September 14, 2026
This is legitimately one of the greatest football plays I’ve ever seen.
It doesn’t get much better than that right there. Every coach in America will be showing this rep to their team this week. https://t.co/pqFh5ybuVe
Nah man DRUG TEST Tyler Owens. This is INSANE lmaoo pic.twitter.com/UICsITA0s4
— Hater Report (@HaterReport) September 13, 2026
Tyler Owens. Play of the day. pic.twitter.com/RK3A1dMtSF
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) September 13, 2026
Drug test Tyler Owens immediately.
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) September 14, 2026
The most dominant clip in NFL history. pic.twitter.com/80mBd1HSAU
Tyler Owens has, in fact, become a special teams demon in the NFL. https://t.co/8X3A1zsMiR pic.twitter.com/UBTKSmBpOY
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) September 14, 2026
Glad the world is talking about this play. Fun fact about Tyler Owens- he doesn’t believe in outer space. Nothing scarier than a football player who doesn’t believe in outer space. pic.twitter.com/J1UpjxNfnz
— Eric Nathan (@BarstoolNate) September 14, 2026
Belichick would've sent a 1st rounder to Washington for Tyler Owens before the game was over
— Jerry Thornton (@jerrythornton) September 14, 2026
pic.twitter.com/jJrmADKVuZ
Not hyperbole this is one of the most impressive things you'll see on a football field today! Pure heart from Tyler Owens 😤 pic.twitter.com/LvcKKEgbQQ
— Action Network (@ActionNetworkHQ) September 14, 2026
TYLER OWENS HIT HIM WITH A SPINE BUSTER 🤯 pic.twitter.com/cl4x6AiISr
— Kalshi Sports (@KalshiSports) September 13, 2026
Son: Dad, what does a grown ass man look like?
— TBone Nation (@USFBullsTboned) September 14, 2026
Dad: Son, let me tell you about Tyler Owens and how he went savage on the poor Eagles. pic.twitter.com/JHLaD4voqW
Putting the TKO in @tylerkowens 😳
— Texas Tech Football (@TexasTechFB) September 13, 2026
📺 #WASvsPHI on FOX pic.twitter.com/TW4XWY02iE
Every high school football coach in the country showing his team the Tyler Owens rep 🤣 pic.twitter.com/0yXvrEXVZ8
— betr (@betr) September 14, 2026
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Commanders' Tyler Owens goes viral for best special teams rep ever
