The NFL isn’t nearly as physical as it once was, especially when it comes to enforcer-style hits from defensive backs. Gone are the days of Ronnie Lott and Steve Atwater.
But that doesn’t mean the league can’t still have bone-crushing moments — applied safely, of course — from time to time.
One of those soul-shaking hits came in Week 5’s Bears-Buccaneers game thanks to cornerback Kyle Fuller, who stopped Bucs rookie running back Ke’Shawn Vaughn in his tracks with a shoulder to the chest that forced a game-changing fumble.
According to Bears defensive backs coach DeShea Townsend, Fuller’s strike was a textbook hit in today’s NFL.
“That’s the thing we talk about — lowering your target, removing your head from the situation and hitting the strike zone,” Townsend said. “He did everything properly in that play, and that’s why they picked the flag up (and didn’t call a penalty). That was a textbook proper way to physically play the game.”
Fuller has been one of the Bears’ best performers on defense this season and is one of the top all-around cornerbacks in the NFL in 2020. He’s Chicago’s fifth-highest graded defender through five games, per Pro Football Focus, and has the 13th-best coverage grade among all corners this year.