Tag: NFL Rookie of the Week

Jaguars’ Brian Thomas Jr. receives seventh bid for NFL ROTW

Jaguars’ Brian Thomas Jr. receives seventh bid for NFL ROTW

Jaguars Wire asked last week if a franchise-record-setting performance could finally earn Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. the NFL’s Rookie of the Week Award.

The answer was no, marking Thomas’ sixth nomination without proverbially taking home the hardware this season. Maybe his seventh bid for the honor will finally get him across the finish line.

Thomas was nominated for the NFL’s Rookie of the Week honor for his nine-catch, 132-yard, one-touchdown showing in Jacksonville’s 19-14 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 16.

He set another franchise record in the game, establishing himself as the Jaguars’ all-time rookie receptions leader, passing Justin Blackmon’s 2012 tally of 64.

Thomas has been nominated for the award in three consecutive weeks, and in total for his performances in Weeks 1, 4, 5, 7, 14 and 15. He has combined to catch 47 passes for 667 yards and seven touchdowns in games he has been placed under consideration for the prize.

Thomas has logged 73 receptions for 1,088 yards and nine touchdowns 15 games into his NFL career.

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix, Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving and Raiders tight end Brock Bowers (who caught 11 passes for 99 yards against the Jaguars on Sunday) are also up for the award for Week 16.

Fans can vote for NFL Rookie of the Week here.

Commanders’ Jayden Daniels ties NFL Rookie of the Week record

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels has been the NFL Rookie of the Week nine times this season, tying the record.

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels has been named the NFL’s Rookie of the Week an astonishing nine times this season. For a guy who wasn’t predicted to transition to the NFL well, he certainly has made a splash.


Daniels has certainly turned the heads of analysts, coaches, and members of the NFL media with his play this year.

Ben Roethliserger set that record back in 2004, 20 years ago, and Daniels can still break that record. That’s not bad company to be in, Roethlisberger is a two-time Super Bowl Champion, a six-time Pro Bowl selection, a two-time passing yards leader, and likely a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

Daniels will get his first chance to break that record this Sunday when the Commanders host the Philadelphia Eagles at 1pm EDT at Northwest Stadium.

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Jaguars WR Brian Thomas Jr. earns fifth NFL ROTW nomination

Jaguars WR Brian Thomas Jr. earns fifth NFL ROTW nomination

Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. was nominated for the NFL’s Rookie of the Week award for his eight-catch, 86-yard showing in Jacksonville’s 10-6 victory over the Tennessee Titans in Week 14, the league announced Tuesday.

Thomas previously got looks for the honor in Weeks 1, 4, 5 and 7. He combined to post 20 receptions for 344 yards and four touchdowns in that stretch, against the Miami Dolphins, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots.

Jacksonville’s No. 23 overall selection in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft, Thomas has logged 54 receptions for 851 yards and six touchdowns this season. His 15.8 yards per reception rank No. 10 among qualifying NFL pass-catchers through Week 14.

Thomas is 11 receptions and 15 yards away from breaking the Jaguars’ rookie receiving records, 64 receptions and 865 yards, set by Justin Blackmon in 2012. His six touchdowns are tied with Allen Hurns’ 2014 team record.

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams, San Francisco running back Isaac Guerendo, New York Giants running back Tyrone Tracy, Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Jalen McMillan and Seattle Seahawks linebacker Tyrice Knight were nominated alongside Thomas for Week 14’s Rookie of the Week honor.

Fans can vote for NFL Rookie of the Week here.

Commanders’ Jayden Daniels voted NFL Rookie of the Week … Again

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels was voted the NFL Rookie of the Week for the eighth time in 2024.

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels has surpassed any expectations anyone in the NFL had for him when this season started. All of the hype of the 2024 NFL draft was around Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, Michael Penix Jr., and J.J. McCarthy. Out of all of those quarterbacks, Daniels has been, by far, the most successful.

Once again, Daniels has been voted the NFL’s Rookie of the Week for his performance against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.

 

Eight out of 13 weeks Daniels has earned this award in 2024, and the season isn’t over. The Commanders are on a bye this week, but there are three more opportunities after that for him to win it again. And it’s likely that he will.

In 13 games this season, Daniels has amassed 2,819 passing yards (12th among all quarterbacks) and 15 touchdowns. He’s thrown just six interceptions all season and has been sacked 29 times. His QBR is 71.8, but his rating is 99.4. Of all the ball throwers in the NFL, Daniels certainly isn’t a bad one to have on your side.

As the Commanders enter their bye week, Daniels will be resting his ribs and getting healthy so that when the team returns to face the New Orleans Saints, he will be ready.

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Could Jaguars WR Brian Thomas Jr. finally earn ROTW honors?

Could Jaguars WR Brian Thomas Jr. finally earn ROTW honors?

The third time was not the charm, but perhaps the fourth time will be.

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. was nominated for NFL Rookie of the Week again on Tuesday, marking the fourth time he has been considered for the award seven weeks into his pro career.

Thomas was previously put up for the award in Week 1, Week 4 and Week 5 for his respective performances against Miami, Houston and Indianapolis. He combined for 15 receptions, 255 yards and three touchdowns.

Against New England Patriots at Wembley Stadium in London on Sunday, Thomas hauled in all five of his targets for 89 yards, one touchdown and one two-point conversion.

Through seven games, Jacksonville’s No. 23 overall selection in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft has logged 30 catches for 513 yards and four touchdowns, averaging 17.1 yards per grab. He has added three rushing attempts for 15 yards.

New England quarterback Drake Maye, Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix, Buffalo Bills wide receiver Keon Coleman, Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers and Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Beanie Bishop Jr. were nominated alongside Thomas for the honor in Week 7.

Fans can vote for NFL Rookie of the Week here.

Jaguars WR Brian Thomas Jr. nominated for NFL Rookie of the Week again

Jaguars WR Brian Thomas Jr. up for NFL Rookie of the Week

Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. is up for the NFL’s Rookie of the Week award for the second time in his young pro career, four games in.

Thomas’ showing in Jacksonville’s Week 4 loss to Houston — six receptions for 86 yards and one touchdown, paired with one rush for 13 yards — led to his nomination alongside quarterbacks, Washington’s Jayden Daniels and Chicago’s Caleb Williams, and fellow receivers, New York’s Malik Nabers, Kansas City’s Xavier Worthy and Carolina’s Xavier Legette.

The honor went to Daniels in Week 1, when Thomas was first under consideration after catching four passes for 47 yards and a touchdown in his NFL debut against Miami.

Through four games, Jacksonville’s first-round, No. 23 overall selection in the 2024 NFL draft has logged 17 receptions for 275 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 16.2 yards per grab.

“Each week, we challenge him as a staff, we challenge him more and more on his plate. I think we’re seeing, you’re seeing, obviously, the type of receiver that he is and why we drafted him,” Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said about Thomas on Monday.

“He’s, gosh, he’s such a competitor. I love that about him – the way he competes out there and he plays hard, he plays fast, he’ll go in there and block a safety if he has to. Nice job on the around yesterday. So, he’s very capable and we’re going to continue to keep throwing the ball this way.”

Fans can vote for NFL Rookie of the Week here.

Jaguars’ Brian Thomas Jr. up for Rookie of the Week after strong debut

Jaguars’ Brian Thomas Jr. up for Rookie of the Week after strong debut

Jacksonville’s first-round 2024 NFL draft pick, wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. is up for the NFL’s Pepsi Zero Sugar Rookie of the Week award following his pro debut against Miami on Sunday, the league announced.

Thomas caught all four of his targets for 47 yards and the first touchdown of his NFL career in Week 1, a 14-yard, toe-tapping reception in the back of the end zone that gave the Jaguars a two-possession lead over the Dolphins in the second quarter.

Jacksonville head coach Doug Pederson commended Thomas for his showing after the game, which ended in a 20-17 loss for the Jaguars, suggesting Thomas was unbothered by the size of the stage that is performing in the NFL.

“I thought he did some good things,” Pederson said about Thomas’s performance after the loss. “[The] game is not too big for him, and great touchdown catch obviously there in the first half and did some good things. Played tough and physical in the run game, as well.”

Jacksonville selected Thomas No. 23 overall in April’s draft, coveting the big-bodied speedster following his breakout junior season with LSU in 2023 and stunning 4.33-second 40-yard dash at the NFL combine in March.

The 6-foot-3, 209-pound Thomas caught 68 passes for 1,177 yards and an FBS-leading 17 touchdowns in his final year of college football.

Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels, New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers, Kansas City wide receiver Xavier Worthy, Las Vegas tight end Brock Bowers and Tennessee return specialist/wide receiver Jha’Quan Jackson were nominated for Rookie of the Week alongside Thomas.

Fans can vote for one of these six players on www.nfl.com/rookies.

Colts’ Josh Downs up for Rookie of the Week

Josh Downs is up for Rookie of the Week!

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs has been nominated for NFL Rookie of the Week following his stellar outing against the Cleveland Browns in Week 7 at Lucas Oil Stadium.

The second-round pick has enjoyed a strong start to the season, and he continued that trend at home against the Browns. Despite facing a tough defense, Downs posted five receptions for 125 yards and one touchdown.

His touchdown came on a heads-up play in which he got behind the defense on a free play thanks to Myles Garrett jumping offsides. He got behind the zone and raced 59 yards to the end zone to conclude the offense’s first drive.

Also nominated this week includes Chicago Bears quarterback Tyson Bagent, Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua, Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison, Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs and New York Giants cornerback Deonte Banks.

Fans can vote for the Colts rookie on NFL.com through Thursday at noon ET.

Jedrick Wills wins NFL Rookie of the Week for Week 10

It’s a rare win for an offensive lineman, the first since 2013

Congratulations are in order for Cleveland Browns left tackle Jedrick Wills. The big lineman won the NFL Rookie of the Week award for Week 10.

Wills is the first Browns rookie to capture the honor since 2018, when three different Browns — Nick Chubb, Baker Mayfield and Denzel Ward — all captured the weekly award that year. Wills is also a rare winner as an offensive lineman. Only three other linemen have earned the Rookie of the Week since voting began in 2002 and none have won since 2013.

Wills pitched a shutout in pass protection against the Houston Texans in Week 10, including some matchups with J.J. Watt. He also made several key blocks to help spring both Chubb and Kareem Hunt for over 100 yards rushing in the game, the first time Browns teammates have topped the century mark in the same game since 1966.

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Former Ohio State defensive lineman Dremont Jones up for NFL Rookie of the Week

Former Ohio State defensive lineman Dre’Mont Jones has been nominated for the NFL’s Rookie of the Week.

Former Ohio State and current Denver Bronco defensive lineman Dremont Jones is up for NFL Rookie of the Week after a fantastic performance against the Detroit Lions.

Jones had himself a day with four tackles and two sacks in a 27-17 victory over a reeling Detroit Lions squad. He continues to develop at the defensive end spot and is showing that he was worth the Broncos taking a chance on him in the 3rd round of last year’s NFL Draft.

Jones is up for the award against Daniel Jones of the Giants, Miles Sanders of the Eagles, Hunter Renfrow of the Raiders, and Derick Roberson of the Titans.

If you want to help Jones with the honor, you can vote directly on NFL.com.