FALCONS QB MATT RYAN, GIANTS S XAVIER MCKINNEY &
VIKINGS RB KENE NWANGWU NAMED NFC PLAYERS OF WEEK 9
Quarterback MATT RYAN of the Atlanta Falcons, safety XAVIER MCKINNEY of the New York Giants and running back KENE NWANGWU of the Minnesota Vikings are the NFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week for games played in Week 9 (November 4, 7-8).
OFFENSE: QB MATT RYAN, ATLANTA FALCONS
- Ryan completed 23 of 30 pass attempts (76.7 percent) for a season-high 343 passing yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions for a 135.8 rating and added a rushing touchdown in the Falcons’ 27-25 win at New Orleans. His 135.8 rating was the highest among all quarterbacks in Week 9.
- This is the 10th Offensive Player of the Week award for Ryan, the most in team history, and he becomes the second Falcons player to earn a Player of the Week honor this season (linebacker Deion Jones, Week 7).
- 2008: Week 9
- 2011: Week 14
- 2012: Week 16
- 2013: Week 7
- 2014: Weeks 1, 3
- 2016: Weeks 9, 17
- 2020: Week 6
- 2021: Week 9
- Ryan is the one of three former Boston College quarterbacks to win multiple Offensive Player of the Week awards, along with Doug Flute (four) and Matt Hasselbeck (two).
DEFENSE: S XAVIER MCKINNEY, NEW YORK GIANTS
- McKinney totaled seven tackles and two interceptions, including a 41-yard interception-return for a touchdown in the Giants’ 23-16 win over Las Vegas. He was the only NFC player with multiple interceptions in Week 9.
- This is McKinney’s first Defensive Player of the Week honor and is the first Giants safety to win the award since Landon Collins (Week 11, 2017).
- McKinney is the seventh former Alabama safety to win Defensive Player of the Week and he joins Dallas’ Trevon Diggs (Week 4) as Crimson Tide defensive backs to earn the honor this season.
SPECIAL TEAMS: RB KENE NWANGWU, MINNESOTA VIKINGS
- In Week 9, Nwangwu had a 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to open the second half and rushed for a first down on a fake punt in the third quarter.
- This is the first career Special Teams Player of the Week award for Nwangwu and he becomes the first Viking to earn the honor since Mike Boone (Week 4, 2020).
- Nwangwu is the second former Iowa State player to win Special Teams Player of the Week, joining Ellis Hobbs (Week 1, 2007 and Week 15, 2008).
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 |
| Wk 9 | QB Matt Ryan, Atlanta | S Xavier McKinney, N.Y. Giants | RB Kene Nwangwu, Minnesota |
