NEW YORK – Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor, Baltimore Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith and New England Patriots running back Antonio Gibson are the AFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week for games played in Week 2 (September 11, 14-15).
OFFENSE: RB JONATHAN TAYLOR, INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
- Taylor led the league with 215 scrimmage yards (165 rushing, 50 receiving) in Week 2 while recording a touchdown reception in Indianapolis’ 29-28 win over Denver, improving the Colts to 2-0 for the first time since 2009. He is the first player to have more than 150 rushing yards and a touchdown reception this season, and is one of three players to do so multiple times since entering the NFL in 2020.
- This is the fourth-career Offensive Player of the Week award for Taylor. He joins Pro Football Hall of Famer Edgerrin James (six) as the only Colts non-quarterbacks to win Offensive Player of the Week at least four times.
- 2021: Week 11
- 2022: Week 10
- 2024: Week 16
- 2025: Week 2
- Taylor becomes the fifth former Wisconsin player to earn Player of the Week at least four times, joining Russell Wilson (11-time winner), T.J. Watt (eight), J.J. Watt (seven) and John Hall (four).
DEFENSE: LB ROQUAN SMITH, BALTIMORE RAVENS
- Smith led the league with 15 tackles and tied for the lead with three tackles for loss in Week 2, while also recording a 63-yard fumble-recovery touchdown in the Ravens 41-17 win over the Browns.
- This is Smith’s first-career Defensive Player of the Week award, becoming the first Raven to win since Kyle Hamilton (Week 16, 2023) and the first Ravens linebacker to earn the honor since Justin Houston (Week 9, 2022).
- Smith becomes the seventh former Georgia linebacker to earn Defensive Player of the Week, joining Justin Houston (three-time winner), Mo Lewis (three), Randall Godfrey (two), Thomas Davis, Leonard Floyd and Jordan Jenkins.
SPECIAL TEAMS: RB ANTONIO GIBSON, NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
- Gibson returned six kickoffs for a league-high 171 yards in Week 2, including a 90-yard touchdown to give New England the lead in the fourth quarter of their 33-27 win at Miami. It marks the first kick-return touchdown this season and seventh-longest kick return since the dynamic kickoff rules were introduced in 2024.
- This is Gibson’s first Player of the Week award, joining Dion Lewis (Week 10, 2017), Laurence Maroney (Week 7, 2006) and David Meggett (Week 17, 1996) as the only Patriot running backs to win Special Teams Player of the Week.
- Gibson becomes the third non-kicker from the University of Memphis to win Special Teams Player of the Week, joining Calvin Austin (Week 8, 2024) and Pro Football Hall of Famer Isaac Bruce (Week 1, 1995).
