49ERS WR DEEBO SAMUEL, COWBOYS LB MICAH PARSONS &
PANTHERS K ZANE GONZALEZ NAMED NFC PLAYERS OF WEEK 8
Wide receiver DEEBO SAMUEL of the San Francisco 49ers, linebacker MICAH PARSONS of the Dallas Cowboys and kicker ZANE GONZALEZ of the Carolina Panthers are the NFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week for games played in Week 8 (October 28, October 31-November 1).
OFFENSE: WR DEEBO SAMUEL, SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
- Samuel recorded six catches for 171 yards (28.5 avg.) in San Francisco’s 33-22 victory at Chicago, the most receiving yards by any player in Week 8.
- This is the first Offensive Player of the Week award for Samuel and he becomes the first 49ers wide receiver to earn the honor since Anquan Boldin (Week 1, 2013).
- Samuel is the first former South Carolina player to win Offensive Player of the Week since wide receiver Sidney Rice (Week 10, 2009).
DEFENSE: LB MICAH PARSONS, DALLAS COWBOYS
- Parsons registered 11 tackles, including four tackles for loss, in Dallas’ 20-16 Sunday Night Football victory at Minnesota. His four tackles for loss were tied for the most in the league in Week 8 and are tied for the most by a rookie in any game this season.
- He becomes the first Cowboys linebacker to win Defensive Player of the Week since Leighton Vander Esch (Week 10, 2018) and he joins Vander Esch, Sean Lee (Week 13, 2010) and DeMarcus Ware (Week 16, 2005) as the only Dallas rookie linebackers to earn the honor.
- Parsons is the seventh former Penn State linebacker to win Defensive Player of the Week and joins Odafe Oweh (Week 2, 2021) and Sean Lee (Week 13, 2010) as the only rookies to do so.
- He becomes the third rookie to win Defensive Player of the Week this season, joining Oweh (Week 2) and Buffalo defensive end Greg Rousseau (Week 5).
SPECIAL TEAMS: K ZANE GONZALEZ, CAROLINA PANTHERS
- Gonzalez converted all four of his field goals – from 23, 29, 51 and 57 yards – and his only point after attempt for a total of 13 points in the Panthers’ 19-13 victory over Atlanta.
- This is the first Special Teams Player of the Week Award for Gonzalez and he becomes the first Carolina kicker to earn the honor since Joey Slye (Week 4, 2019).
- He becomes the first former Arizona State kicker to win Special Teams Player of the Week.
2021 NFC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
| Offense | Defense | Special Teams | |
| Wk 1 | QB Matthew Stafford, L.A. Rams | LB Chandler Jones, Arizona | P Bradley Pinion, Tampa Bay |
| Wk 2 | QB Kyler Murray, Arizona | S Mike Edwards, Tampa Bay | P Mitch Wishnowsky, San Francisco |
| Wk 3 | QB Matthew Stafford, L.A. Rams | CB Byron Murphy, Arizona | K Mason Crosby, Green Bay |
| Wk 4 | QB Daniel Jones, N.Y. Giants | CB Trevon Diggs, Dallas | KR DeAndre Carter, Washington |
| Wk 5 | QB Tom Brady, Tampa Bay | CB Marshon Lattimore, New Orleans | LB T.J. Edwards, Philadelphia |
| Wk 6 | QB Dak Prescott, Dallas | S Taylor Rapp, L.A. Rams | K Matt Prater, Arizona |
| Wk 7 | RB Alvin Kamara, New Orleans | LB Deion Jones, Atlanta | K Graham Gano, N.Y. Giants |
| Wk 8 | WR Deebo Samuel, San Francisco | LB Micah Parsons, Dallas | K Zane Gonzalez, Carolina |
