| Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, Houston Texans cornerback Derek Stingley and Jacksonville Jaguars punter Logan Cooke are the AFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week for games played in Week 16 (December 18, 20-22).OFFENSE: QB JOE BURROW, CINCINNATI BENGALSBurrow completed 25 of 32 pass attempts (78.1 percent) for 309 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions for a 146.5 passer rating in Cincinnati’s 45-21 victory at Miami. He had the highest passer rating in the NFL and the most touchdown passes in the AFC in Week 16. Burrow became the third player in NFL history with at least 150 touchdown passes (152) and the fifth player ever with at least 20,000 passing yards (20,269) in his first 75 career games.This is the eighth career Player of the Week award for Burrow and his first this season, joining Boomer Esiason (nine-time winner) as the only Bengals players with eight-or-more Player of the Week awards.2021: Weeks 4, 162022: Weeks 7, 13, 162023: Weeks 82024: Week 172025: Week 16Burrow has the fourth-most Player of the Week awards by a quarterback since entering the NFL in 2020. Only Josh Allen (16-time winner), Lamar Jackson (nine) and Patrick Mahomes (nine) have more.DEFENSE: CB DEREK STINGLEY, HOUSTON TEXANSStingley recorded two tackles, a forced fumble and returned an interception 31 yards for a touchdown in Houston’s 23-21 win over Las Vegas. He was the only player in the NFL with a forced fumble and interception in Week 16.This is Stingley’s third-career Defensive Player of the Week award and he becomes the third Texans player to earn Player of the Week honors this season, joining C.J. Stroud (Week 5) and Danielle Hunter (Week 10). Stingley has the second-most Defensive Player of the Week awards by a Texans player, trailing only J.J. Watt (seven-time winner).2023: Week 132024: Week 152025: Week 16Stingley ties Patrick Peterson (three) for the most Defensive Player of the Week awards earned by a former LSU cornerback.SPECIAL TEAMS: P LOGAN COOKE, JACKSONVILLE JAGUARSCooke had six punts – including four inside the 20 with two inside the 10 and one inside the five – with a league-long of 63 and an average of 52 yards in the Jaguars 34-20 win at Denver.This is Cooke’s first Player of the Week award and the first by a Jaguars punter since Chris Hanson (Week 11, 2002).Cooke joins Boobie Dixon (Week 12, 2014) as the only former Mississippi State players to win a Special Teams Player of the Week award. San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy, Philadelphia Eagles defensive back Cooper DeJean and Chicago Bears kicker Cairo Santos are the NFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week for games played in Week 16 (December 18, 20-22). OFFENSE: QB BROCK PURDY, SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS Purdy completed 25 of 34 pass attempts (73.5 percent) for 295 yards and a career-high five touchdown passes with a 126.8 passer rating in San Francisco’s 48-27 win at Indianapolis. Purdy became the first 49ers quarterback with five touchdown passes in a regular-season game since Pro Football Hall of Famer Joe Montana on Oct. 14, 1990. Purdy led the NFL in touchdown passes in Week 16 and led the NFC in passer rating and completion percentage. This is Purdy’s second-career Player of the Week award. He joins Pro Football Hall of Famers Steve Young (11-time winner) and Joe Montana (eight) as well as Jeff Garcia (two) as the only 49ers quarterbacks to win multiple Player of the Week awards. Purdy is the only former Iowa State player to earn multiple Offensive Player of the Week awards. DEFENSE: DB COOPER DEJEAN, PHILADELPHIA EAGLES DeJean recorded four tackles, a career-high four passes defensed and an interception in Philadelphia’s 29-18 win at Washington. He is one-of-two players in the NFL – and the only player in the NFC – to record at least four tackles, four passes defensed and an interception in a game this season, joining Joey Porter Jr. (Week 9). This is DeJean’s first-career Defensive Player of the Week award and he becomes the third Eagles player to earn Player of the Week honors this season, joining Jordan Davis (Weeks 3 and 11) and Quinyon Mitchell (Week 4). DeJean is the fourth former Iowa defensive back to win Player of the Week honors, joining Merton Hanks (four-time winner), Desmond King (two-time winner) and Bob Sanders (Week 2, 2007). SPECIAL TEAMS: K CAIRO SANTOS, CHICAGO BEARS Santos converted all three of his field goal attempts in a driving wind – from 46, 51 and 43 yards – and his lone point after attempt, as well as helped the Bears’ special teams recover an onside kick with 1:59remaining in regulation in Chicago’s 22-16 overtime win against Green Bay. He was the only NFC kicker to score at least 10 points and make 100 percent of his kicks, including one from 50-yards-or-longer. This is Santos’ third Special Teams Player of the Week award. He becomes the fifth Bears player to earn Player of the Week honors this season, joining Caleb Williams (Week 3), Josh Blackwell (Week 4), Colston Loveland (Week 9) and D’Marco Jackson (Week 15). Santos joins Paul Edinger, Robbie Gould and Jeff Jaeger as the only Bears kickers to earn three Special Teams Player of the Week honors. 2020: Week 6 2022: Week 7 2025: Week 16 Santos surpasses kicker Eddie Murray (two-time winner) for the most Player of the Week awards by a former Tulane player. |
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