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Dallas Cowboys Punter Elijah Clark turned heads over the weekend when he put on an incredible hustle to catch a key pass during the team's win over the Philadelphia Eagles.
During the Cowboys punt, Clark was pushed down several times but was still able to get up, causing Xavier Gipson to trip. Many NFL Fans and players applauded Clark, including former star pass rusher Sean Merriman, who told Fox News Digital it was the kind of effort any coach would want to see from a player.
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Shawn Merriman of the Chargers warms up before the AFC Divisional Playoff game against the New England Patriots on January 14, 2007 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California. (Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images)
“It was a clear coaching message of what you want to show every high school kid in the country,” Merriman said. “People come up to me all the time and want to play in the NFL, that’s what I’ll show them. If you ever want create a teamif you're on the fence about whether you can make the team or not, you'll do it, you'll put yourself in the best position to make the 53-man roster. This is a clear coaching message of what these young players need to see with their best effort.”
Clark joined the Cowboys this year as an undrafted free agent. Merriman said it's games like these that will keep him in the lineup for the long haul.
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Dallas Cowboys safety Elijah Clarke (38) and cornerback Triquese Bridges react during the first quarter against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field in Mile High on October 26, 2025. (Ron Chenoy/Imagn Images)
“That's what determines whether a guy makes the team or not. I always tell guys, “The more you can do.” If you can put special teams together and make a play like that, I know guys that have stayed in the NFL for a really long time and made plays like that, and that's what you need to do,” Merriman added.
Although the Cowboys failed to score a single point after the game, Dallas was able to win the game 24–21.
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He played in six games for Dallas and made 15 tackles.
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