Former Tiger Sets Tone with Big Play in NFL Playoff Game

A former Clemson Tiger helped set the tone for the Philadelphia Eagles in their NFC Wild Card playoff matchup against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.

On the opening kickoff, Clemson pro Jeremiah Trotter Jr. recovered a fumble by Packers All-Pro kick returner Keisean Nixon.

Oren Burks, a former Packer, forced the fumble with a huge hit, and Trotter emerged from the scrum with the ball after wrestling it away from Nixon. The replay official reviewed the loose ball recovery ruling, and the play was upheld, as the ruling on the field stood.

Trotter’s recovery set up Philadelphia’s offense with the ball at the Green Bay 28-yard line. Three plays later, the Eagles capitalized on the turnover with an 11-yard touchdown pass from Jalen Hurts to Jahan Dotson for a 7-0 lead less than two minutes into the game at Lincoln Financial Field in Philly.

Trotter Jr., the son of Eagles legend Jeremiah Trotter Sr., is in his rookie year with the Eagles after they selected him in the fifth round (No. 155 overall) of the 2024 NFL Draft.

Per Eagles senior manager, football communications John Gonoude, Trotter Jr.’s fumble recovery marked the first special teams takeaway by an Eagle in a playoff game since Jan. 19, 2002 against the Chicago Bears.

Check out the big play below: