This May Be The WORST Tackle Attempt Ever By A Punter [VIDEO]
This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.
A punt return touchdown from Thursday night’s preseason game has generated plenty of buzz online. The attention isn’t really about the returner.
Video from the Chargers-49ers matchup shows San Francisco receiver Jacob Cowing breaking free on an 83-yard punt return. He faced just one defender with a clear shot to stop him before reaching the end zone.
That defender didn’t even attempt a tackle.
Chargers punter JK Scott simply stepped aside as Cowing ran past him, clearing his path to the end zone entirely. The clip spread quickly on social media.
“This may be the WORSE tackle attempt EVER by a punter,” College Transfer Portal declared, tagging The Pat McAfee Show and adding, “we need answers.”
The Play Turned Into A Signature Moment For Cowing
Cowing fielded JK Scott’s 52-yard punt at the 49ers’ 17-yard line with 3:09 remaining in the second quarter. He cut left, found daylight, and sprinted the rest of the way untouched, extending San Francisco’s lead to 17-3 in what became a 41-17 win.
NFL.com described Scott’s decision not to engage as “a business decision,” noting that he “shuffled to his right and out of Cowing’s path” rather than attempting contact.
Cowing called the touchdown a special moment afterward, crediting his blockers for springing him loose.
“Huge shoutout to the guys that were on that field blocking for me and gave great effort,” he said. “If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t have been in the house.”
Head coach Kyle Shanahan echoed that praise, calling it “a big-time play” and pointing to Cowing’s track record of flashing talent when given opportunities.
Preseason Effort On Special Teams Often Draws This Kind Of Scrutiny
Punters rarely find themselves in position to make open-field tackles, and many teams discourage them from taking unnecessary contact risks during exhibition games.
That context is worth consideration, since a punter absorbing a hit in a meaningless preseason game carries real injury risk for very little competitive upside.
Still, the optics of watching a defender step aside entirely, rather than even attempting to slow a returner down, were enough to draw plenty of online mockery regardless of the reasoning behind it.
Cowing entered this preseason fighting for a roster spot after missing all of 2025 with a hamstring injury, and Thursday’s touchdown gave him a strong case heading into final roster cuts.
Scott, meanwhile, remains the Chargers’ primary punter as the team wraps up its own preseason slate. Los Angeles hosts the Rams next Thursday to close out the exhibition schedule, while San Francisco travels to Las Vegas for its preseason finale.
