CHIEFS RB JERICK MCKINNON, RAVENS LB ROQUAN SMITH & CHARGERS K CAMERON DICKER NAMED AFC PLAYERS OF THE MONTH FOR DECEMBER/JANUARY
Running back JERICK MCKINNON of the Kansas City Chiefs, linebacker ROQUAN SMITH of the Baltimore Ravens and kicker CAMERON DICKER of the Los Angeles Chargers are the AFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Month for the months of December and January (Weeks 13-18).
OFFENSE: RB JERICK MCKINNON, KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
McKinnon led the NFL with nine touchdowns (eight receiving, one rushing) over the final six weeks of the season and recorded a touchdown reception in each game. He is the first running back since 1970 with a touchdown reception in at least five consecutive games.
His nine touchdown receptions this season are tied with Pro Football Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk (nine touchdown receptions in 2001), Chuck Foreman (nine in 1975) and Leroy Hoard (nine in 1971) for the most by a running back in a single season in the Super Bowl era.
This is the first-career Offensive Player of the Month award for McKinnon and he becomes the sixth Chiefs running back to earn the honor, joining Priest Holmes (two-time winner), Kareem Hunt, Larry Johnson (two-time winner), Christian Okoye and Barry Word.
McKinnon is the first player from Georgia Southern to ever win an Offensive Player of the Month award.
DEFENSE: LB ROQUAN SMITH, BALTIMORE RAVENS
Smith ranked fifth in the NFL with 66 tackles over the season’s final six weeks and ranked tied for fifth with six tackles for loss. He also added an interception and a sack and was the only player in the league with at least 60 tackles, an interception and a sack since Week 13.
This is the first Defensive Player of the Month award for Smith and he joins Pro Football Hall of Famer Ray Lewis (November, 2003), Bart Scott (September, 2006) and Terrell Suggs (two-time winner) as the only Ravens linebackers to ever earn the honor.
He is the sixth former Georgia Bulldog to win Defensive Player of the Month and the first since linebacker Thomas Davis (November, 2013).
SPECIAL TEAMS: K CAMERON DICKER, LOS ANGELES CHARGERS
Dicker totaled 47 points over the season’s final six weeks, connecting on all 14 of his point-after attempts and 11 of his 12 field goal attempts, including a game-winning 43-yarder in Week 15.
This is the first Special Teams Player of the Month award for Dicker and is the third Chargers kicker to ever earn the honor, joining John Carney (three-time winner) and Greg Davis (October, 1997).
Dicker becomes the 10th rookie kicker to win Special Teams Player of the Month and the first since Evan McPherson (December, 2021).
2022 AFC PLAYERS OF THE MONTH
Offense
Defense
Special Teams
September
October
November
QB Lamar Jackson, Baltimore
RB Derrick Henry, Tennessee
QB Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City
LB Melvin Ingram, Miami
DL Quinnen Williams, N.Y. Jets
S Derwin James, L.A. Chargers
P Tommy Townsend, Kansas City
P Ryan Stonehouse, Tennessee
K Tyler Bass, Buffalo
Dec./Jan.
RB Jerick McKinnon, Kansas City
LB Roquan Smith, Baltimore
K Cameron Dicker, L.A. Chargers
