NEW YORK – Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold, Detroit Lions defensive lineman Aidan Hutchinson and Dallas Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey are the NFC Players of the Month for the month of September (Weeks 1-4).
OFFENSE: QB SAM DARNOLD, MINNESOTA VIKINGS
- Darnold led the NFL in touchdown passes (11) and passer rating (118.9) in September, becoming the sixth different quarterback to record at least two touchdown passes and a passer rating of 105-or-higher in each of his team’s first four games of a season, joining Tom Brady (2007 and 2015), Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning (2013), Aaron Rodgers (2011 and 2020), Matt Ryan (2016) and Russell Wilson (2020).
- This is Darnold’s first-career Player of the Month honor. He is the third Vikings quarterback to earn Offensive Player of the Month in the past 15 seasons, joining Kirk Cousins (October, 2019) and Case Keenum (November, 2017).
- Darnold is the third former University of Southern California player to earn Offensive Player of the Month, joining Matt Cassel (November, 2010) and Carson Palmer (September, 2005).
DEFENSE: DL AIDAN HUTCHINSON, DETROIT LIONS
- Hutchinson led the league with 6.5 sacks in September and according to Next Gen Stats, led all players with 25 quarterback pressures during the month. He recorded a career-high 4.5 sacks in Week 2, becoming the fourth player since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic, to record a game with three-or-more sacks in each of his first three career seasons, joining Justin Houston, Jevon Kearse and Pro Football Hall of Famer Reggie White.
- This is Hutchinson’s first-career NFC Player of the Month honor. He is the fourth Lions player to earn Defensive Player of the Month, joining Stephen Boyd (November, 1998), Ray Crockett (November, 1991) and DeAndre Levy (September, 2014).
- Hutchinson is the ninth former University of Michigan player to earn Player of the Month honors and the third to win Defensive Player of the Month, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer Charles Woodson (five times) and LaMarr Woodley.
SPECIAL TEAMS: K BRANDON AUBREY, DALLAS COWBOYS
- Aubrey led all players with 12 made field goals in September, including a league-high six made field goals from 50-or-more yards. In Week 3, he made a 65-yard field goal, the second-longest field goal in NFL history and along with a 60-yard field goal in Week 4, became the fourth kicker in NFL history with at least three made field goals of 60-or-more yards, joining Brett Maher (four), Matt Prater (three) and Greg Zuerlein (three).
- This marks the third-career Player of the Month honor for Aubrey, who won the Award in October and December last season.
- Aubrey becomes the third former Notre Dame player to earn at least three Player of the Month honors, joining John Carney (five) and Jerome Bettis (three).
