NFL
The National Football League has announced AFC and NFC players of the week.
AFC Players of the Week
Tight end Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs, linebacker Matt Milano of the Buffalo Bills and defensive back Marcus Jones of the New England Patriots are the AFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week for games played in Week 11 (Nov. 17, 20-21).
OFFENSE: TE TRAVIS KELCE, KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
Kelce recorded six receptions for 115 yards and three touchdowns, including the game-winning 17-yard touchdown reception with 31 seconds remaining in the Chiefs’ Week 11 victory. He is the third tight end in the Super Bowl era with two games of three-or-more touchdown receptions in a single season, joining Todd Christensen (1983) and Pro Football Hall of Famer Kellen Winslow Sr. (1982).
Kelce has 33 career games with at least 100 receiving yards and surpassed Rob Gronkowski (32 games) for the most such games by a tight end in NFL history.
This is the second-career Offensive Player of the Week award for Kelce (Week 15, 2021) and first this season.
He is the fifth tight end to win the award multiple times, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe (three), Alge Crumpler (two), Jimmy Graham (two) and Rob Gronkowski (two).
DEFENSE: LB MATT MILANO, BUFFALO BILLS
Milano recorded 12 tackles, three tackles for loss, one sack and one fumble recovery in Buffalo’s 31-23 victory over Cleveland in Detroit. He is the first player with at least 10 tackles, three tackles for loss, one sack and a fumble recovery in a single game since Ryan Shazier (Week 2, 2015).
This is the second-career Defensive Player of the Week award for Milano (Week 3, 2018) and first this season.
Milano is the fourth former Boston College player to win Defensive Player of the Week multiple times, joining Luke Kuechly (five times), Mathias Kiwanuka (twice) and Mike Mamula (twice).
SPECIAL TEAMS: DB MARCUS JONES, NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
Jones recorded an 84-yard punt-return touchdown with five seconds remaining in the Patriots' 10-3 win over the New York Jets. It marked the first punt-return touchdown in the NFL this season.
Jones became the sixth player to record a game-winning punt-return touchdown in the final two minutes of regulation or in overtime since 1970 and it was second-latest game-winning punt-return touchdown in regulation since 1970, trailing only DeSean Jackson (no time remaining on Dec. 19, 2010).
This is Jones’ first-career Special Teams Player of the Week award and he becomes the fourth Patriots rookie to earn the honor since 2000, joining Jake Bailey (Weeks 3 and 11, 2019), Bethel Johnson (Week 13, 2003) and Laurence Maroney (Week 7, 2006).
Jones is the first player from Houston to win Special Teams Player of the Week.
NFC Players of the Week
Running back Tony Pollard of the Dallas Cowboys, defensive lineman Aidan Hutchinson of the Detroit Lions and running back Cordarrelle Patterson of the Atlanta Falcons are the NFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week for games played in Week 11 (November 17, 20-21).
OFFENSE: RB TONY POLLARD, DALLAS COWBOYS
Pollard had a career-high 189 scrimmage yards (109 receiving, 80 rushing) and two touchdown receptions in the Cowboys’ 40-3 win at Minnesota in Week 11. He became the fourth player since 1990 with at least 75 rushing yards, 100 receiving yards and two touchdown receptions in a single game, joining Joey Galloway (November 12, 1995), Todd Gurley (December 24, 2017) and Pro Football Hall of Famer LaDainian Tomlinson (December 7, 2003).
This is the first-career Offensive Player of the Week award for Pollard and he joins Pro Football Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith (10-time winner) and Ezekiel Elliott as the only Cowboys running backs to win the award since 1990.
He joins Pro Football Hall of Famer Isaac Bruce (three-time winner) and DeAngelo Williams (two-time winner) as the only former Memphis Tigers to earn Offensive Player of the Week honors.
DEFENSE: DL AIDAN HUTCHINSON, DETROIT LIONS
Hutchinson registered his second-career interception and first-career fumble recovery in the Lions’ 31-18 win at the New York Giants in Week 11. He is the first rookie defensive lineman to record an interception and fumble recovery in a game since Kerry Wynn (Week 16, 2014).
This is the first Defensive Player of the Week award for Hutchinson and he joins Kerby Joseph (Week 9) as the only Lions rookies to ever earn the honor. He is the first Detroit defensive lineman to win the award since Ezekiel Ansah (Week 17, 2017).
He becomes the fifth Michigan defensive lineman to earn the honor, joining Frank Clark, Brandon Graham, Curtis Greer and James Hall (twice).
SPECIAL TEAMS: RB CORDARRELLE PATTERSON, ATLANTA FALCONS
Patterson recorded a 103-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the Falcons' 27-24 comeback victory over Chicago. He has nine career kickoff returns for a touchdown, surpassing Josh Cribbs (eight) and Leon Washington (eight) for the most in NFL history.
This is Patterson’s second-career Special Teams Player of the Week award, also earning the honor as a rookie in Week 8 of the 2013 season with Minnesota. He was also named Offensive Player of the Week in Week 3 this season.
He is the sixth former Tennessee Volunteer to win three overall Player of the Week awards, joining Peyton Manning (27-time winner), Reggie White (six) Arian Foster (three), Terry McDaniel (three) and Chuck Smith (three).