Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones has been named the AFC’s defensive player of the week for his Week 4 outing against the Los Angeles Chargers.
With wide receiver Rashee Rice going down early in the game, the Chiefs knew that they would have to rely on their defense to pull out a win.
Jones spearheaded that effort, compiling six tackles and four quarterback pressures, including two sacks in the 17-10 victory. We mentioned the importance of Jones’ efforts in our rapid reaction:
Jones’ two sacks (and key pressures) couldn’t have been more timely; his first sack took the Chargers out of field goal range in the middle of the second quarter. His critical pressure on fourth-and-1 came while LA had the ball at the Kansas City 3 early in the fourth quarter. His final sack ended the Chargers’ last-ditch effort late in the game.
Jones last won the AFC’s defensive player of the week award in Week 11 of 2021, and he also did so in Week 2 of 2017. With his third weekly award, Jones stands alone ahead of Neil Smith and Art Still for the most ever by a Chiefs defensive lineman.
The last Chiefs player to win the AFC defensive player of the week was cornerback Jaylen Watson, who did so in Week 2 of the 2022 season.
In the other AFC awards, Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry was named offensive player of the week and Tennessee Titans kicker Nick Folk was named special teams player of the week.
