The giant NFL regular seemed to be pushing a man away at the Zoo Bar in his home state, where police were called at 1am, before another man abruptly moved from his left in and sent a sickening shot to the side of his head, leaving Goedert flat on his back as onlookers rushed to help.

Footage from a Twitter user who claimed to know the bar owner went viral as stunned fans watched the shocking attack, which took place when Goedert reportedly went to dinner with his family at the venue, going to hospital as a precaution after the brutal end to his night.

Police responded to reports of "people busting glasses and busted heads" and later searched a number of local hotels for "a group that flew in from Florida", according to the Mitchell Republic.

Eagles reporter Mike Kaye said Goedert, who has been one of the top 10 tight ends in the NFL since joining the team on a guaranteed $2.9 million salary in 2018, had been "sucker-punched unprovoked", adding: "He was taken to the hospital for evaluation and is fine."

Team-mate Lane Johnson called the attack "ridiculous". "Let me know the time and place," he goaded the assailant. "I got you, Dallas Goedert."

Eagles corner Rasul Douglas suggested the scrap could have become even uglier had he been there, replying to Maddox: "Swear to everything, I’d be in jail right now.”

Cornerback Avonte Maddox also weighed in by saying: "Yeah, lucky I wasn’t there. Would have been some problems deadass."

One concerned Eagles fan reacted by warning: "The Goedert video isn't good – people die like that when their head hits the ground. He’s very lucky."

Goedert made his name for the South Dakota State University Jackrabbits on his way to joining the Eagles as a second-round pick in the NFL draft.