NEW YORK — Oct. 16, 2024 — Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Sean Tucker, Detroit Lions defensive back Brian Branch and Chicago Bears tight end Cole Kmet are the NFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week for Week 6 (October 10, 13-14).
OFFENSE: RB SEAN TUCKER, TAMPA BAY BUCANEERS
- Tucker totaled an NFL-high 192 scrimmage yards (136 rushing, 56 receiving) and recorded two touchdowns (one rushing, one receiving) in Tampa Bay’s Week 6 win over New Orleans. Tampa Bay became the fifth team in NFL history with at least 300 passing yards and 275 rushing yards in a game, joining Miami (Week 3, 2023), San Francisco (Week 5, 2012), Dallas (Week 1, 1978) and Green Bay (Week 9, 1962).
- This is the first-career Player of the Week award for Tucker, becoming the second Tampa Bay running back to win the award in the past 10 seasons, joining Leonard Fournette (Week 12, 2021).
- Tucker joins Joe Morris (Week 8, 1986) as the only Syracuse running backs to earn the honor.
DEFENSE: DB BRIAN BRANCH, DETROIT LIONS
- Branch recorded six tackles, two interceptions and a forced fumble in Detroit’s Week 6 win at Dallas. He became the first NFC player and fourth overall in the NFL this season with multiple interceptions in a game.
- This is Branch’s first-career Defensive Player of the Week award, and it marks the fourth-consecutive season a Lions defensive back has won the award, along with Ifeatu Melifonwu (Week 16, 2023), Kerby Joseph (Week 9, 2022) and Tracy Walker (Week 18, 2021).
- Branch is the third former Alabama defensive back to win Defensive Player of the Week honors this season, joining Green Bay’s Xavier McKinney (Week 5, NFC) and Denver’s Pat Surtain II (Week 5, AFC).
SPECIAL TEAMS: TE COLE KMET, CHICAGO BEARS
- Kmet served the emergency long snapper in the Bears’ Week 6 win against Jacksonville in London, successfully snapping on all five of Chicago’s point after attempts, including two on the plays directly following his own two touchdown receptions.
- This is the first-career Player of the Week Award for Kmet, becoming the fifth tight end to earn Special Teams Player of the Week honors.
- Kmet is the first Notre Dame tight end to win a Player of the Week award.
