COLTS RB JONATHAN TAYLOR, TITANS S KEVIN BYARD & BILLS K TYLER BASS NAMED AFC PLAYERS OF THE MONTH FOR OCTOBER
Running back JONATHAN TAYLOR of the Indianapolis Colts, safety KEVIN BYARD of the Tennessee Titans and kicker TYLER BASS of the Buffalo Bills are the AFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Month for the month of October (Weeks 4-8).
OFFENSE: RB JONATHAN TAYLOR, INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
- Taylor rushed for 478 yards on 79 carries (6.1 average) with six touchdowns and added 13 receptions for 195 yards and one receiving touchdown in five games during the month of October. His 673 scrimmage yards are the most in the NFL since Week 4.
- This is the first Offensive Player of the Month award for Taylor and he joins Pro Football Hall of Famers Edgerrin James (three-time winner) and Eric Dickerson (December, 1988) as the only Colts running backs to earn the honor.
- Taylor joins quarterback Russell Wilson (September, 2020) as the only former Wisconsin players to win Offensive Player of the Month.
DEFENSE: S KEVIN BYARD, TENNESSEE TITANS
- Byard totaled 27 tackles, seven passes defensed, three interceptions, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery touchdown in five games during October. He was the only player to record three interceptions and a defensive touchdown over the last month.
- This is the first Defensive Player of the Month award for Byard as well as the first for a Middle Tennessee State player.
- Byard is the fifth player in franchise history to earn the honor and first since Michael Griffin (October, 2010).
SPECIAL TEAMS: K TYLER BASS, BUFFALO BILLS
- Bass connected on all 10 of his field goal attempts and all 13 on his extra point attempts for a total of 43 points in four games during October.
- This is the first Special Teams Player of the Month award for Bass and he becomes the first Bills player to earn the award since punter Brian Moorman (November, 2006).
- Bass in the third player to earn the honor from Georgia Southern, joining Rob Bironas (October, 2007) and Younghoe Koo (November, 2020).
2021 AFC PLAYERS OF THE MONTH
| Offense | Defense | Special Teams | |
| September | QB Derek Carr, Las Vegas | LB Von Miller, Denver | WR Jamal Agnew, Jacksonville |
| October | RB Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis | S Kevin Byard, Tennessee | K Tyler Bass, Buffalo |
