NEW YORK — Oct. 8, 2025 — Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud, Denver Broncos linebacker Nik Bonitto and Tennessee Titans wide receiver Chimere Dike are the AFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week for games played in Week 5 (October 2, 5-6).
OFFENSE: QB C.J. STROUD, HOUSTON TEXANS
- Stroud completed 23 of 27 pass attempts (85.2 percent) for 244 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions and a 143.9 passer rating in Houston’s 44-10 victory over Baltimore. It marked the highest completion percentage and passer rating by any AFC quarterback in Week 5, as well as the most touchdown passes. Stroud became the first player this season to record four touchdown passes in a game with four-or-fewer incompletions.
- This is the third career Player of the Week award for Stroud, the third-most ever by a Texans quarterback:
- 2023: Weeks 9, 18
- 2025: Week 5
- Stroud surpasses Kent Graham (two-time winner) for the most Player of the Week awards ever by a former Ohio State quarterback.
DEFENSE: LB NIK BONITTO, DENVER BRONCOS
- Bonitto recorded four tackles and 2.5 sacks in Denver’s 21-17 victory over Philadelphia, including a sack in the final two minutes. It marked the most sacks by any player in Week 5 and Bonitto now leads the NFL with seven sacks through the first five weeks of the season.
- This is Bonitto’s first-career Defensive Player of the Week award, becoming the third Denver linebacker to earn the honor in the past 10 years, joining Cody Barton (Week 7, 2024) and Von Miller (Week 11, 2018 and Week 2, 2016).
- Bonitto becomes the first former Oklahoma Sooner to win Defensive Player of the Week since Curtis Lofton (Week 17, 2011).
SPECIAL TEAMS: WR CHIMERE DIKE, TENNESSEE TITANS
- Dike returned four kickoffs for 136 yards, including a 65-yard return in the second quarter, and three punts for 33 yards in Tennessee’s 22-21 comeback victory over Arizona. His 34.0 kick-return average and 11.0 punt-return average were both the highest in the NFL in Week 5 (minimum three returns), while his 65-yard return was also the longest in the league last week.
- This is Dike’s first-career Special Teams Player of the Week award, becoming the first Titan non-kicker/punter to earn the honor since defensive back Dane Cruikshank (Week 2, 2018).
- Dike is the first former Florida Gator non-kicker/punter to win Special Teams Player of the Week since Brandon Powell (Week 16, 2021).
