From THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
The National Football League has announced its AFC and NFC Players of the Month.
Quarterback PATRICK MAHOMES of the Kansas City Chiefs, linebacker JEROME BAKER of the Miami Dolphins and kicker EVAN MCPHERSON of the Cincinnati Bengals are the AFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Month for the month of December (Weeks 13-16).
OFFENSE: QB PATRICK MAHOMES, KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
●Mahomes completed 89 of 130 pass attempts (68.5 percent) for 1,110 yards with eight touchdown passes for a 108.8 rating during the month of December, leading the Chiefs to a 4-0 record – the only AFC team to do so. He also recorded 64 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown.
●Mahomes wins his fourth Offensive Player of the Month, the most by a Chiefs player all-time. (2018: September, 2019: September, 2020: November, 2021: December)
●Mahomes is the only quarterback to earn a Player of the Month award in each of the past four seasons and is one of three active quarterbacks with at least four career Offensive Player of the Month awards, joining Tom Brady (11) and Aaron Rodgers (10).
DEFENSE: LB JEROME BAKER, MIAMI DOLPHINS
●Baker totaled 16 tackles, six tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks over the last month. Baker was the only AFC player with two tackles for loss in three games during the month of December as the Dolphins allowed the fewest yards per game (214) from Weeks 13-16.
●This is the first Defensive Player of the Month award for Baker and he is the first Dolphins player to earn the award since Cameron Wake (October, 2012). A Dolphins player has been selected for this honor 13 times, tied with the Bills and Chiefs for the most among AFC teams.
●It marks the third consecutive season that a former Ohio State player has earned a Defensive Player of the Month award [San Francisco defensive lineman Nick Bosa (October, 2019); Washington defensive end Chase Young (December, 2020)].
SPECIAL TEAMS: K EVAN MCPHERSON, CINCINNATI BENGALS
●McPherson converted 9 of 11 field goals as well as connected on 8 of 9 point after attempts for 35 points in December, tied for the most among kickers in the AFC.
●McPherson converted two 50-yard field goals during December and leads the NFL with nine such field goals on the season, the second-most all-time by a rookie kicker, trailing only Blair Walsh (10 50-yard field goals in 2012).
●This is the first Special Teams Player of the Month award for McPherson and he becomes the first rookie kicker since Harrison Butker (October and December, 2017) to win the award.
Quarterback AARON RODGERS of the Green Bay Packers, defensive lineman AARON DONALD of the Los Angeles Rams and punter THOMAS MORSTEAD of the Atlanta Falcons are the NFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Month for the month of December (Weeks 13-16).
OFFENSE: QB AARON RODGERS, GREEN BAY PACKERS
●In three games, Rodgers completed 76 of 102 pass attempts (74.5 percent) for 811 yards with 10 touchdowns and zero interceptions for a 130 rating as he led the Packers to a 3-0 record in the month of December.
●Rodgers’ completion percentage and passer rating led all qualified passers during December.
●This is the 10th Offensive Player of the Month award for Rodgers and fourth in December. (2009: October, 2010: December, 2011: September, October, November, 2012: October, 2014: November, 2016: December, 2020: December, 2021: December)
●Rodgers becomes the second player ever to win at least 10 Player of the Month awards, joining Tom Brady (11).
DEFENSE: DL AARON DONALD, LOS ANGELES RAMS
●In four games, Donald recorded 20 tackles, eight tackles for loss, six sacks and two forced fumbles in helping the Rams go 4-0 during December.
●Donald’s six sacks tied for the most in the league during the month and he was the only player in the NFL with at least five sacks and multiple forced fumbles.
●This is the third Defensive Player of the Month award for Donald and second in December. (2018: October, December, 2021: December)
●Donald becomes the fourth Ram to win at least three Player of the Month awards, joining running backs Marshall Faulk (four) and Todd Gurley (three) and punter Johnny Hekker (three).
SPECIAL TEAMS: P THOMAS MORSTEAD, ATLANTA FALCONS
●Morstead punted 11 times during the month of December, averaging 49 yards (45.9 net) and landing six inside the 20-yard line. He also led the NFC in opponent starting field position (18.5-yard line).
●This is the second Special Teams Player of the Month award for Morstead (September, 2019 with New Orleans).
●Morstead becomes the first-ever Falcons punter to earn the honor and is the first Atlanta player to earn Special Teams Player of the Month since kicker Younghoe Koo (November, 2020).