While the behemoth NFL dominates the sporting landscape in the US, supporters of the other tackle football codes often point to their helmets, enormous shoulder pads and Lycra uniforms as evidence it is \u201csoft\u201d compared to league or union.<\/p>\n
We wouldn\u2019t say that to Jordan Mailata\u2019s face, just quietly, but the debate will surely roll on forever.<\/p>\n
So a wildly enthusiastic call from commentator and ex-NFL star Cris Collinsworth during Kansas City\u2019s 20-10 loss to the Texans last Monday (AEDT) kicked off a viral debate.<\/p>\n
Watch the tackle in the video player above<\/p>\n
After Houston\u2019s Jaylin Noel ran with the ball in the second half, the Chiefs\u2019 Jaylen Watson lined him up and landed a hip-and-shoulder tackle, driving the Texan over the sideline.<\/p>\n
Enter Collinsworth, who is beloved and sometimes ribbed for his gushing calls during games.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat may be the best form tackle I\u2019ve seen in 10 years,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cArms wrapped up, lift him off the ground, drive him backwards on third down and short, gotta get off the field.<\/p>\n
\u201cLook at that! This has been one fantastic second half of defensive football.\u201d<\/p>\n
A tweet from the NFL\u2019s official account has been viewed more than two million times and has over 500 comments.<\/p>\n
Tech heavyweight and rugby fan Steven Dickens has the first comment on the NFL post and echoed the thoughts of many when he replied: \u201cHappens every game in rugby.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dickens received some replies of his own, including \u201cwithout the fancy costumes\u201d and \u201ccorrect \u2013 20 times every game\u201d.<\/p>\n
Northern Irish author Stephen Black stated: \u201cIt\u2019s a standard rugby tackle. Nothing special.\u201d<\/p>\n
Andres Stein answered: \u201cIt is special in the NFL. They are awful tacklers by comparison with rugby players.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sports doctor James Noake offered: \u201cA bang average tackle still wearing helmet and pads. Slow clap.\u201d<\/p>\n
Some of the accounts that have been retweeting and commenting on the NFL hit is where this gets particularly interesting.<\/p>\n
The All Blacks\u2019 official X account retweeted the post along with a photo of a crunching tackle against the Wallabies with the caption: \u201cWait until bro discovers Rugby \u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
Williams, a two-time World Cup winner with those All Blacks, also got in on the fun, summing up his feelings with two words: \u201cThat\u2019s cute.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sonny Bill\u2019s post has also gone viral, with almost 9000 likes and 150 comments, including the standard response from journalist Amir Mizroch: \u201cJust your average regular rugby tackle.\u201d<\/p>\n
X account @johnsemalhuis wrote: \u201cAdorable. And the whole game stops so they can celebrate a tackle that my U12 girls and boys made 10x a game.<\/p>\n
![\"'Welcome](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/ceff3a18c705071e96a0d9c94516a723.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n
Stereo Incognito said: \u201cThat is the first \u201calmost a tackle\u201d I\u2019ve seen in that sport, that is mostly sumo pushing, spandex and constant stoppages.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another wrote: \u201cThey have never watched rugby \u2013 even at schoolboy level.\u201d<\/p>\n
A few X users attempted to push back on Williams\u2019 jibe.<\/p>\n
Aaron Grove replied: \u201cBill you should come to the US and try out for an NFL team to see how cute it is.\u201d<\/p>\n
NFLBallKnower declared: \u201cCome play in the NFL lol you\u2019d get run pal.\u201d<\/p>\n
Paul Coull even took a dig at the Haka, writing: \u201cNearly as cute as your little dance before games.\u201d<\/p>\n
The fact remains these types of hits are common on rugby and NRL fields at just about all levels, male and female.<\/p>\n
Just don\u2019t try to explain that to an American.<\/p>\n