Rookie Cooper DeJean has firmly announced his arrival on the big stage. The cornerback’s tackle on Derrick Henry is making him a household name.
The tackle by the Philadelphia Eagles’ second-round pick this year is going viral, the fans can’t help but be amazed at DeJean.
Cooper DeJean Floors Derrick Henry and the Fans With His Viral Tackle
In the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens, the running back received a short pass from Lamar Jackson. Henry barely took a step before DeJean arrived. He lifted the league’s second-leading rusher up and then grounded him.
Cooper DeJean takes down Derrick Henry 💪
📺: #PHIvsBAL on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/Lwq9S0PfZo— NFL (@NFL)
A clip of the tackle was posted on X (formerly Twitter) and the fans went ga-ga for the 21-year-old out of Iowa. “He may be the only player in the entire NFL who knows how to tackle properly,” replied one fan.
“What a beast! And that is a rookie? Golly,” one fan added.
“TEXT BOOK TACKLE!!” another fan responded.
Wow this dudes a baller
— ChargersMuse (@ChargersMuse)
“Textbook double leg takedown,” tweeted a fan. “Wow, this dudes a baller,” added another.
“Saw this and was so amped up I tackled my fridge. En route to hospital now,” said another clearly hyped-up fan.
Saw this and was so amped up I tackled my fridge. En route to hospital now 🤙
— Brandon Borzell (@Borzell)
“Might be hard for y’all to believe but if you have great form and technique, you can tackle anyone. This play should be taught in film rooms!” added another fan.
“Textbook tackle. Probably wrestled in high school,” tweeted another fan.
DeJean Talks About His Viral Tackle on Henry
The Eagles ended up winning the game 24-19, with DeJean racking up five tackles. After the game, DeJean talked in length about his viral tackle and its significance.
“It was cool,” said DeJean. “I didn’t expect to fully pick him up and put him on the ground. It kind of just happened like that. I was just trying to do my job and make a tackle.”
“Oh, he’s a big dude,” said DeJean about Henry’s size advantage. “I felt it for sure. You know, but luckily, he was just turning around so he didn’t really see me coming. I was able to sneak up on him and make the tackle.”
The Eagles continue their march toward a playoff berth next week against the Carolina Panthers. The Week 14 matchup will take place at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.
