Undrafted players can't take a play off. They need to bring top effort all the time to have a chance to stick around the NFL.
Former Syracuse defender Alijah Clark has shown that to the extreme. He made one of the best effort plays you're ever going to see, a crucial moment as the Dallas Cowboys rallied from 21-0 down to beat the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, 24-21.
Clark was on the field in punt coverage, and he got knocked down, not just once, but multiple times.
He never stopped trying to get up the field to cover the punt, though.
And as Clark arrived near the football, he happened to show up just in time to lay a big hit on the return man.
It jarred the ball loose, and Dallas recovered the fumble.
Here's the best view of Clark's effort:
No. 38 is Alijah Clark, an undrafted free agent on the #Cowboys, and this won Dallas the game. A+ effort. Pic.twitter.com/7bwkT6Ix6u
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 24, 2025
You aren't going to see a better play all season.
And a play like this one could keep Clark around for a while. Coaches and evaluators won't soon forget the effort Clark put in here to make a game-changing play.
You don't teach that. It's something Clark brought with him to the NFL, and it could allow him to create a real professional career for himself.
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