(via Buccaneers Communications) - The National Football League today announced that Tampa Bay Buccaneers inside linebacker Devin White was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week for Week 15. White earned the distinction for the second time this season, also winning NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors in Week 7.
Against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 15, White matched his career high with 3.0 sacks, adding 12 tackles (four for loss), three quarterback hits and two passes defensed. White is the only NFL player with multiple games with 3.0-or-more sacks and 10-or-more tackles since at least 2000. He is also the only player in team history to record double-digit tackles and 3.0-or-more sacks in a game.
With his 130 tackles and 8.0 sacks, White remains the only NFL player with 100-or-more tackles and 5.0-or-more sacks this season. Dating back to 2000, White is one of just nine players to post at least 100 tackles and 8.0 sacks in a single season. He ranks third in the NFL in tackles (130) and tied for eighth in the NFC in sacks (8.0).
Over 27 career games, White has racked up 221 tackles, (17 for loss), 18 quarterback hits, 10.5 sacks, seven passes defensed, five fumble recoveries, four forced fumbles, one interception and two defensive touchdowns. Dating back to at least 1987, White is one of only four players to total at least 200 tackles and 10.0 sacks in their first two seasons joining Duane Bickett, Darius Leonard and Brian Urlacher.
White’s two NFC Defensive Player of the Week awards in 2020 come after winning back-to-back Defensive Rookie of the Month honors in November and December of 2019 on his way to 2019 PFWA NFL All-Rookie Team recognition.
White led the NFL with four tackles for loss in Week 15, led all NFC players with 3.0 sacks and ranked tied for third in the conference with 12 tackles. He has recorded seven games with 10-or-more tackles in 2020, which are tied for the second-most such games in the NFL this season.
White is part of a defense that ranks first in the NFL in rushing yards allowed (77.8 per game), and sixth in total defense (333.1 per game). Tampa Bay also leads the league in defensive rushing average (3.4 opponent yards per carry), ranks second in pressures (161), tied for second in tackles for loss (82), fourth in quarterback hits (99) ranks tied for fourth in sacks (43.0), tied for fifth in takeaways (21).
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