CHIEFS TE TRAVIS KELCE, COLTS LB DARIUS LEONARD & TEXANS DB TREMON SMITH NAMED AFC PLAYERS OF WEEK 15
Tight end TRAVIS KELCE of the Kansas City Chiefs, linebacker DARIUS LEONARD of the Indianapolis Colts and defensive back TREMON SMITH of the Houston Texans are the AFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week for games played in Week 15 (December 16, 18-21).
OFFENSE: TE TRAVIS KELCE, KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
- Kelce recorded 10 receptions for a career-high 191 yards (19.1 avg.) and two touchdowns in Week 15, including the game-winning 34-yard touchdown catch to secure a 34-28 win over the Chargers in overtime. Kelce’s 191 receiving yards were the most in the league in during Week 15 and is the most by a tight end this season.
- This marked Kelce’s third career game with at least 150 receiving yards and a touchdown reception, tied for the second-most all-time by a tight end.
- This is Kelce’s first Offensive Player of the Week award and is the first-ever Kansas City tight end to earn the honor. He is the first tight end to win the award in the AFC since Rob Gronkowski (Week 15, 2017).
- He is the first former Cincinnati Bearcat to win the award since 1990.
DEFENSE: LB DARIUS LEONARD, INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
- Leonard recorded 10 tackles, one tackle for loss, a forced fumble and an interception in the Colts’ 27-17 win over the Patriots. He is the only player in the league with 10 tackles, an interception and a forced fumble in a single game this season.
- Also accomplishing the feat in Week 6, he is the only player in the league to register a force fumble and interception in two separate games this season.
- This is the fourth Defensive Player of the Week award for Leonard:
- 2018: Weeks 2, 17
- 2020: Week 17
- 2021: Week 15
- Leonard joins Dwight Freeney (five-time winner) and Robert Mathis (five-time winner) as the only Colts players to win Defensive Player of the Week at least four times.
SPECIAL TEAMS: DB TREMON SMITH, HOUSTON TEXANS
- Smith returned two kickoffs for 121 yards, including a 98-yard kick return touchdown, in Houston’s 30-16 win over Jacksonville. He also recorded a special teams tackles and downed a punt inside the five-yard line in the fourth quarter. He was the only player to return a kickoff for a touchdown in Week 15.
- This is the first Special Teams Player of the Week award for Smith, making him the first player from Central Arkansas to win the award.
- He is the first Houston player to win the award since Angelo Blackson (Week 15, 2019).
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 11Wk 12Wk 13Wk 14Wk 15 | QB Justin Herbert, L.A. ChargersQB Patrick Mahomes, Kansas CityRB Jonathan Taylor, IndianapolisRB Joe Mixon, CincinnatiQB Justin Herbert, L.A. ChargersQB Justin Herbert, L.A. ChargersTE Travis Kelce, Kansas City | DE/LB Josh Allen, JacksonvilleCB Xavien Howard, MiamiDT Chris Jones, Kansas CityCB Pat Surtain II, DenverLB T.J. Watt, PittsburghCB Mike Hughes, Kansas CityLB Darius Leonard, Indianapolis | P Tommy Townsend, Kansas CityLB E.J. Speed, IndianapolisK Evan McPherson, CincinnatiK Daniel Carlson, Las VegasP Michael Palardy, MiamiK Brandon McManus, DenverDB Tremon Smith, Houston |
