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NFL AFC Players of the Week – Week 15

CHIEFS TE TRAVIS KELCE, COLTS LB DARIUS LEONARD & TEXANS DB TREMON SMITH NAMED AFC PLAYERS OF WEEK 15

Tight end TRAVIS KELCE of the Kansas City Chiefs, linebacker DARIUS LEONARD of the Indianapolis Colts and defensive back TREMON SMITH of the Houston Texans are the AFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week for games played in Week 15 (December 16, 18-21).

OFFENSE: TE TRAVIS KELCE, KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

  • Kelce recorded 10 receptions for a career-high 191 yards (19.1 avg.) and two touchdowns in Week 15, including the game-winning 34-yard touchdown catch to secure a 34-28 win over the Chargers in overtime. Kelce’s 191 receiving yards were the most in the league in during Week 15 and is the most by a tight end this season.
  • This marked Kelce’s third career game with at least 150 receiving yards and a touchdown reception, tied for the second-most all-time by a tight end.
  • This is Kelce’s first Offensive Player of the Week award and is the first-ever Kansas City tight end to earn the honor. He is the first tight end to win the award in the AFC since Rob Gronkowski (Week 15, 2017).
  • He is the first former Cincinnati Bearcat to win the award since 1990.

DEFENSE: LB DARIUS LEONARD, INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

  • Leonard recorded 10 tackles, one tackle for loss, a forced fumble and an interception in the Colts’ 27-17 win over the Patriots. He is the only player in the league with 10 tackles, an interception and a forced fumble in a single game this season.
  • Also accomplishing the feat in Week 6, he is the only player in the league to register a force fumble and interception in two separate games this season.
  • This is the fourth Defensive Player of the Week award for Leonard:
    • 2018: Weeks 2, 17
    • 2020: Week 17
    • 2021: Week 15
  • Leonard joins Dwight Freeney (five-time winner) and Robert Mathis (five-time winner) as the only Colts players to win Defensive Player of the Week at least four times.

SPECIAL TEAMS: DB TREMON SMITH, HOUSTON TEXANS

  • Smith returned two kickoffs for 121 yards, including a 98-yard kick return touchdown, in Houston’s 30-16 win over Jacksonville. He also recorded a special teams tackles and downed a punt inside the five-yard line in the fourth quarter. He was the only player to return a kickoff for a touchdown in Week 15.
  • This is the first Special Teams Player of the Week award for Smith, making him the first player from Central Arkansas to win the award.
  • He is the first Houston player to win the award since Angelo Blackson (Week 15, 2019).

2021 AFC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Offense Defense Special Teams
Wk 1 QB Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City DE Maxx Crosby, Las Vegas K Evan McPherson, Cincinnati
Wk 2 RB Derrick Henry, Tennessee LB Odafe Oweh, Baltimore K Daniel Carlson, Las Vegas
Wk 3 QB Josh Allen, Buffalo DE Myles Garrett, Cleveland K Justin Tucker, Baltimore
Wk 4 QB Joe Burrow, Cincinnati LB Tremaine Edmunds, Buffalo P Rigoberto Sanchez, Indianapolis
Wk 5 QB Lamar Jackson, Baltimore DE Greg Rousseau, Buffalo K Nick Folk, New England
Wk 6 RB Derrick Henry, Tennessee LB T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh K Matthew Wright, Jacksonville
Wk 7 WR Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati DE Yannick Ngakoue, Las Vegas P Rigoberto Sanchez, Indianapolis
Wk 8 QB Mike White, N.Y. Jets DB Adrian Phillips, New England K Randy Bullock, Tennessee
Wk 9

Wk 10

Wk 11

Wk 12

Wk 13

Wk 14

Wk 15

QB Justin Herbert, L.A. Chargers

QB Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City

RB Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis

RB Joe Mixon, Cincinnati

QB Justin Herbert, L.A. Chargers

QB Justin Herbert, L.A. Chargers

TE Travis Kelce, Kansas City

DE/LB Josh Allen, Jacksonville

CB Xavien Howard, Miami

DT Chris Jones, Kansas City

CB Pat Surtain II, Denver

LB T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh

CB Mike Hughes, Kansas City

LB Darius Leonard, Indianapolis

P Tommy Townsend, Kansas City

LB E.J. Speed, Indianapolis

K Evan McPherson, Cincinnati

K Daniel Carlson, Las Vegas

P Michael Palardy, Miami

K Brandon McManus, Denver

DB Tremon Smith, Houston

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