WATCH: Anthony Edwards thinks he can tackle Derrick Henry — Cooper DeJean has entered the chat
Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards is one of the coldest dudes in the NBA. We love Ant. He’s fearless, explosive, and entertaining as hell. But every once in a while, he steps just a little too far out of bounds — like when he looked Justin Jefferson dead in the face and said he could stop Derrick Henry in the open field.
Seriously. There’s video. Go look.
Anthony Edwards thinks he could stick Derrick Henry
WILD: #NBA star Anthony Edwards claimed he could take on #NFL superstar running back Derrick Henry in the open field.
“I ain’t gonna pop him, but imma hit that b*tch fosho.”
pic.twitter.com/pBAMAHndlp
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) May 14, 2025
In the video where Ant claims he could take down the King in the open field, he’s standing next to none other than Justin Jefferson — one of the NFL’s top wideouts — while rocking a Minnesota Vikings jersey.
The irony? Anthony Edwards used to play for a team called the Vikings too — the Atlanta Vikings in Pop Warner. Back then, he was one of the top youth running backs in the country. Kid was destined for athletic greatness. But instead of juking defenders, he followed his brothers’ footsteps and pivoted to basketball.
So yeah, technically Ant is a former Viking standing next to a current Viking, talking about taking down an NFL tank. You can’t script this stuff.
ANT is built like a wideout, not a linebacker. Let’s be honest
Let’s get one thing straight — Anthony Edwards is a freak athlete. At 6’4″, 225 pounds, he’s got the frame and speed to line up at wide receiver and cook a few safeties if he really wanted to. But this conversation isn’t about raw athleticism. It’s about stepping into the open field and trying to tackle Derrick Henry. Completely different game.
Let me introduce you to someone who’s actually done it: Cooper DeJean. That’s right. The Eagles’ newly-drafted cornerback out of Iowa — a guy who looks like he lifts tractors for fun and runs a sub-4.4 — already answered this question last season. In the Eagles vs. Ravens preseason game, DeJean came flying downhill and drilled Derrick Henry right in the chest. No hesitation. No business decision. Just violence.
Cooper DeJean on tackling Derrick Henry
@libertylinephl
Cooper DeJean reacts to his HUGE tackle on Derrick Henry #flyeaglesfly | #Eagles
♬ original sound – The Liberty Line
DeJean stands at 6’1″, 203 pounds. Smaller than Anthony Edwards. But here’s the difference — he doesn’t hoop. He plays football. He doesn’t flop or try to draw fouls, he’s out their flying around slamming people larger than him with no regard for human life.
Anthony Edwards: One of My Favorite Hoopers, But Let’s Be Real
I love Anthony Edwards. He’s one of my favorite players in the NBA — elite scorer, unmatched swagger, and a walking highlight reel. But I don’t think he fully understands just how strong and violent the NFL is.
Derrick Henry is 6’3″, 247 pounds of pure destruction. The man runs like a freight train and stiff-arms defenders into another dimension. He’s made professional linebackers question their life choices. And Ant wants us to believe he could slow him down in the open field?
Come on now.
Maybe Ant gets a hand on him — maybe. But we all know how that play ends. Face down in the turf, helmet spinning, wondering what just happened. This is the same Derrick Henry who ended Josh Norman’s entire NFL existence on primetime television. What’s he gonna do to a 225-pound shooting guard who’s never tackled anyone in his life? Or at least since the age of 10.
Respect Where It’s Due
Of all the NBA players who could make the leap to football, I’d probably put my money on Anthony Edwards — he’s a dawg, he’s fearless, and he’s built different. But respectfully, what Cooper DeJean did to Derrick Henry? That’s a one-of-one moment. The Eagles’ rookie corner was on a mission, and there’s not a soul — in the NBA or NFL — replicating that hit anytime soon
