Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was among the players of the week announced by the National Football League Wednesday.
Mahomes, cornerback Xavien Howard of the Miami Dolphins, and linebacker E.J. Speed of the Indianapolis Colts were named the AFC offensive, defensive, and special teams players of the week for games played in Week 10.
AFC Offensive Player of the Week
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Mahomes completed 35 of 50 pass attempts (70.0 percent) for 406 yards with five touchdowns and no interceptions for a 127.6 rating in the Chiefs’ 41-14 victory over the Raiders. He led all quarterbacks in passing yards and passing touchdowns in Week 10.
Mahomes also became the first player in NFL history with three career games with at least 400 passing yards and five touchdown passes in his first five seasons.
This is the seventh Offensive Player of the Week award for Mahomes and second this season. Those awards are as follows.
2018: Weeks 1, 2
2019: Week 2
2020: Weeks 3, 8
2021: Weeks 1, 10
Mahomes joins Pro Football Hall of Famer Derrick Thomas (eight) and Dante Hall (seven) as players with at least seven Player of the Week awards in Chiefs history.
AFC Defensive Player of the Week
Cornerback Xavien Howard, Miami Dolphins
Howard recorded five tackles, a forced fumble and a 49-yard fumble-recovery for a touchdown in Miami’s 22-10 win over Baltimore. Howard was the only AFC defensive player with a touchdown in Week 10.
This is the third Defensive Player of the Week award for Howard and first this season. Those awards are as follows.
2017: Week 14
2018: Week 13
2021: Week 10
Howard is the first Dolphin to earn the honor since Kyle Van Noy (Week 12, 2020) and joins Sam Madison (three) as the only Miami defensive backs with three Player of the Week awards.
AFC Special Teams Player of the Week
Linebacker E.J. Speed, Indianapolis Colts
Speed returned a blocked punt for a 12-yard touchdown and recorded one special teams tackle in Indianapolis’ 23-17 win over Jacksonville. It marked the first touchdown of Speed’s career.
This is the second Special Teams Player of the Week award for Speed (Week 10, 2020). He is the only Tarleton State player to ever earn the honor.
Speed is the second Colts player to earn Special Teams Player of the Week this season, joining punter Rigoberto Sanchez (Weeks 4 and 7).
NFC recognitions
Wide receiver Deebo Samuel of the San Francisco 49ers, cornerback Darius Slay of the Philadelphia Eagles, and kicker Zane Gonzalez of the Carolina Panthers are the NFC offensive, defensive, and special teams players of the week for games played in Week 10.
NFC Offensive Player of the Week
Wide receiver Deebo Samuel, San Francisco 49ers
Samuel totaled five receptions and 133 scrimmage yards (97 receiving, career-high 36 rushing) with two touchdowns (one receiving, one rushing), his first-career game with both a receiving and rushing touchdown, in San Francisco’s 31-10 win over the Rams on Monday Night Football.
This is the second Offensive Player of the Week award for Samuel, with the first coming in Week 8 of this season. He joins Pro Football Hall of Famer Jerry Rice (1990, 1992 and 1994) as the only 49ers wide receivers to earn the award multiple times in a single season.
He is the first 49er to win two Offensive Player of the Week awards in the same season since running back Frank Gore in 2009 (Weeks 2 and 14).
Samuel joins Pro Football Hall of Famer Sterling Sharpe (three-time winner) as the only former South Carolina players to earn multiple Offensive Player of the Week awards and is the first to win the award twice in one season.
He is one of three players to win multiple Offensive Player of the Week awards this season, joining Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford and Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
NFC Defensive Player of the Week
Cornerback Darius Slay, Philadelphia Eagles
Slay recorded five tackles, including a tackle for loss, and returned a fumble 83 yards for a touchdown in Philadelphia’s 30-13 win at Denver.
This is Slay’s fourth Defensive Player of the Week honor and his first with the Eagles. Those awards are as follows.
2016 (with Detroit): Week 5
2017 (with Detroit): Week 15
2018 (with Detroit): Week 14
2021: Week 10
He is the first Philadelphia player to earn the award since defensive tackle Fletcher Cox (Week 17, 2018).
Slay leads all former Mississippi State players with four Defensive Player of the Week awards and is the first former Mississippi State player to earn the award since Jeffery Simmons (Week 9, 2020).
NFC Special Teams Player of the Week
Kicker Zane Gonzalez, Carolina Panthers
In Week 10, Gonzalez converted all four of his field goals – from 27, 44, 48 and 49 yards – and both of his point after attempts for a total of 14 points in the Panthers’ 34-10 victory at the Cardinals. It marked the most kicking points by any player in Week 10.
This is the second Special Teams Player of the Week award for Gonzalez, with the first coming in Week 8 of this season. He joins John Kasay (1996) and Joe Nedney (2000) as the Carolina kickers to earn the honor twice in one season.
Gonzalez is the first former Arizona State player to win the Special Teams Player of the Week multiple times.
He joins Indianapolis punter Rigoberto Sanchez as the only players to win two Special Teams Player of the Week awards this season.