COLTS RB JONATHAN TAYLOR, CHIEFS DT CHRIS JONES &
BENGALS K EVAN MCPHERSON NAMED AFC PLAYERS OF WEEK 11
Running back JONATHAN TAYLOR of the Indianapolis Colts, defensive tackle CHRIS JONES of the Kansas City Chiefs and kicker EVAN MCPHERSON of the Cincinnati Bengals are the AFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week for games played in Week 11 (November 18, 21-22).
OFFENSE: RB JONATHAN TAYLOR, INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
- Taylor rushed for 185 yards on 32 attempts (5.8 avg.) and added 19 yards receiving on three receptions for a total of 204 scrimmage yards in addition to scoring five touchdowns (four rushing, one receiving). His five touchdowns and 185 rushing yards are both the most by any player this season.
- Taylor is the first player in NFL history to record at least 175 rushing yards, four rushing touchdowns and one receiving touchdown in a single game.
- This is the first Offensive Player of the Week award for Taylor and he becomes the first Colts running back to receive the honor since Joseph Addai (Week 8, 2007).
- He joins Michael Bennett and Melvin Gordon as the only former Wisconsin running backs to win Offensive Player of the Week.
DEFENSE: DT CHRIS JONES, KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
- Jones recorded five tackles, 3.5 sacks, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a pass defensed in Kansas City’s 19-9 win over Dallas. His 3.5 sacks are the second-most in a single game by an AFC player this season.
- This is the second Defensive Player of the Week award for Jones (Week 2, 2017).
- Jones joins Neil Smith (Week 16, 1994 and Week 5, 1993) and Art Still (Weeks 3 and 14, 1986) as the only Chiefs defensive linemen to earn the honor multiple times.
SPECIAL TEAMS: K EVAN MCPHERSON, CINCINNATI BENGALS
- McPherson connected on all four field goal attempts – from 54, 53, 51 and 47 yards – and two of his three point after attempts for a total of 14 points in Cincinnati’s 32-13 win at Las Vegas.
- He is the first kicker this season to make three field goals of at least 50 yards in one game.
- This is the second Special Teams Player of the Week award for McPherson this season (Week 1). He joins Doug Pelfrey (1994) as the only Bengals kickers to earn the honor twice in one season.
- McPherson is the ninth rookie kicker to win multiple Special Teams Player of the Week awards and the first since Harrison Butker (2017).
2021 AFC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
| Offense | Defense | Special Teams | |
| Wk 1 | QB Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City | DE Maxx Crosby, Las Vegas | K Evan McPherson, Cincinnati |
| Wk 2 | RB Derrick Henry, Tennessee | LB Odafe Oweh, Baltimore | K Daniel Carlson, Las Vegas |
| Wk 3 | QB Josh Allen, Buffalo | DE Myles Garrett, Cleveland | K Justin Tucker, Baltimore |
| Wk 4 | QB Joe Burrow, Cincinnati | LB Tremaine Edmunds, Buffalo | P Rigoberto Sanchez, Indianapolis |
| Wk 5 | QB Lamar Jackson, Baltimore | DE Greg Rousseau, Buffalo | K Nick Folk, New England |
| Wk 6 | RB Derrick Henry, Tennessee | LB T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh | K Matthew Wright, Jacksonville |
| Wk 7 | WR Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati | DE Yannick Ngakoue, Las Vegas | P Rigoberto Sanchez, Indianapolis |
| Wk 8 | QB Mike White, N.Y. Jets | DB Adrian Phillips, New England | K Randy Bullock, Tennessee |
| Wk 9Wk 10Wk 11 | QB Justin Herbert, L.A. ChargersQB Patrick Mahomes, Kansas CityRB Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis | DE/LB Josh Allen, JacksonvilleCB Xavien Howard, MiamiDT Chris Jones, Kansas City | P Tommy Townsend, Kansas CityLB E.J. Speed, IndianapolisK Evan McPherson, Cincinnati |
