Darnold, Gross-Matos, Bresee named NFC Players of the Week

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold, San Francisco 49ers defensive lineman Yetur Gross-Matos and New Orleans Saints defensive tackle Bryan Bresee are the NFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week for Week 14, the league announced Wednesday

OFFENSE:

• Darnold completed 22 of 28 pass attempts (78.6 percent) for 347 yards and five touchdowns with no interceptions and a 157.9 passer rating in the Vikings’ 42-21 victory over the Falcons. He became the ninth quarterback in NFL history and first since Aaron Rodgers on Oct. 20, 2019 with at least 325 passing yards, five touchdown passes, a completion percentage of 75-or-higher and a passer rating of 155-or-higher with no interceptions in a game.

• This is the second-career Offensive Player of the Week Award for Darnold, becoming the fourth Vikings quarterback in the past 15 seasons (2010-24) to win the award, joining Kirk Cousins (three-time winner), Sam Bradford and Joshua Dobbs.

  • 2019: Week 6 (Jets)

  • 2024: Week 14 (Vikings)

• Darnold becomes the second former USC quarterback to win Offensive Player of the Week with multiple franchises, joining Carson Palmer (Cincinnati & Arizona).

DEFENSE:

• Gross-Matos recorded four tackles and three sacks in San Francisco’s 38-13 victory over Chicago. He was the only player in the NFL in Week 14 to record three sacks and was the only player in the NFC with at least two sacks and three-or-more tackles.

• This is the first-career Defensive Player of the Week award for Gross-Matos, becoming the second 49ers defensive lineman to win the award since 2005, joining Nick Bosa (five-time winner).

• Gross-Matos becomes the fourth former Penn State defensive lineman to win Defensive Player of the Week, joining Cameron Wake (three-time winner), Courtney Brown (two) and Bruce Clark (two).

SPECIAL TEAMS:

• Bresse blocked the potential game-tying field goal with 11 seconds remaining to secure New Orleans’ 14-11 victory at the New York Giants. He was the only player to block a fourth-quarter field goal attempt in Week 14.

• This is the first-career Special Teams Player of the Week award for Bresee, becoming the first Saints non-kicker/punter to win Special Teams Player of the Week in the past five seasons (2020-24). He also joins Tony Bryant (Week 17, 2004) as the only Saints defensive linemen to earn the honor.

• Bresee joins Trevor Pryce (Week 10, 2006) as the only former Clemson defensive linemen to win Special Teams Player of the Week.