Jets' Xavier Gipson, Jordan Whitehead earn AFC Player of the Week honors
A pair of Jets have been rewarded for their big performances in Week 1 against the Buffalo Bills.
Safety Jordan Whitehead, who intercepted Bills QB Josh Allen three times on Monday night at MetLife Stadium, took home AFC Defensive Player of the Week.
Meanwhile, Xavier Gipson, who secured the Jets win with a 65-yard punt return touchdown in overtime, was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week.
Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa won AFC Offensive Player of the Week.
Whitehead takes home the defensive award after his career night on Monday. Not only was it the Pitt product’s first career three-interception game, but he’d also previously never had three interceptions in an any of his five NFL seasons.
Gipson’s punt return was the ultimate culmination of the undrafted rookie’s uphill climb to not just make the 53-man roster, but to win the job as the team’s No. 1 punt returner. The Stephen F. Austin product is one of seven receivers to make the Jets’ roster out of training camp, and his explosive return showed exactly why Robert Saleh and Joe Douglas wanted to keep him around.
