Instinctive Moro Ojomo Makes Quite The Opening Statement In A Contract Year

Ojomo engulfed John Bates, who got nowhere near the end zone on a two-point conversion attempt, securing a 24-22 victory for the Eagles.

Sep 13, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Moro Ojomo (97) reacts after stopping a two-point conversion against the Washington Commanders during the second half at Lincoln Financial Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

PHILADELPHIA — The Lincoln Financial Field crowd had gone from roaring to restless. With 1:01 left in the Eagles’ season opener against Washington, the Commanders had just punched in a 1-yard touchdown to make it 24-22 game. 

The Commanders lined up for the two-point conversion to potentially send the game to overtime. It was one play to tie the game and extend things or head south down I-95 back to the beltway.

New Washington offensive coordinator David Blough came up with an unscouted look having Jayden Daniels flip a shovel pass ahead to tight end John Bates. It was a two-point package by the Commanders that would have caught most by surprise considering the dual-threat ability of Daniels.

Right guard Sam Cosmi pulled giving Moro Ojomo all the intell he needed. The athletic Eagles’ defensive tackle spun away and immediately sensed shovel pass and crossed the blocker in front of him to meet Bates in the hole that was supposed to be there.

Ojomo engulfed Bates, who got nowhere near the end zone, securing a 24-22 victory for the Eagles.

“It was just a great play by him individually,” defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said on Tuesday. “Like [Ojomo] said, he saw the guard pull, so he immediately tried to cross the guy that was trying to block him, which he did successfully and made the play. 

“[It] was a big play by him obviously, but to have the energy and the wherewithal to do that that late in the game was big.”

Fangio confirmed the stop was not the product of a pre-snap tendency. Washington had not shown the shovel pass.

“They hadn’t shown that. Obviously, that was a special play they had cooked up for a two-point play and it was more of his reaction and instincts after the ball was snapped than anything pre-snap," Fangio noted.

Keep Delivering

Eagles DT Moro Ojomo | Ed Kracz/Eagles on SI

Ojomo, listed at 6-foot-3 and 292 pounds, is undersized by traditional defensive tackle standards and Fangio has long pointed to the traits that make him effective anyway.

“I think part of it is his effort. His dogged effort plays a part in that, which he’s a little undersized as D-tackles go and he needs to have all that stuff working for him. But he does have good instincts, but he gives great effort and he’s tenacious," Fangio said.

Ojomo described the play in similar terms after the game: get off the ball, see Cosmi pull, spin out of the block, find the tight end and finish. There was no hesitation.

The Eagles went on to recover the ensuing onside kick and ran out the clock.

It was also quite the opening statement for Ojomo’s contract year. The 2023 seventh-round pick is heading toward unrestricted free agency after this season, and Fangio spent training camp making the case that Howie Roseman should budget for him despite paying big money to Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter. 

A game-saving tackle on the first Sunday of September is the kind of supporting evidence that could make Roseman’s decision-making even more difficult.

Make sure you bookmark Philadelphia Eagles on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns, and so much more!