Cardinals OLB Chandler Jones wins NFC Defensive Player of the Month
Jan 2, 2020, 7:27 AM | Updated: 9:21 am
Linebacker Chandler Jones #55 of the Arizona Cardinals fends off the block of offensive lineman Chris Hubbard #74 of the Cleveland Browns en-route to quarterback Baker Mayfield #6 of the Browns during the first half of the NFL football game at State Farm Stadium on December 15, 2019 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Ralph Freso/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ralph Freso/Getty Images)
Chandler Jones finished the last decade in a flurry, and for that the Arizona Cardinals linebacker earned the NFC Defensive Player of the Month Award.
Jones was recognized for his third monthly defensive player of the month honor on Thursday after he recorded 6.0 sacks, 18 tackles, three passes defensed and three forced fumbles over the month of December. He added nine quarterback hits during the four-week span considered for the award.
That included a four-sack game against the Seattle Seahawks in the penultimate game of Arizona’s 2019 season, a performance that earned Jones the player of the week nod for Week 16.
The pass-rusher last won the monthly award in December 2017 as a member of the Cardinals. Prior to that, Jones won the AFC Defensive Player of the Month honor in November 2013 while he played for the New England Patriots.
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Kicker Zane Gonzalez is the other Cardinal to bring home a monthly award this season, as he took home the NFC Special Teams Player of the Month title in October.
Jones finished the year second in the NFL with 19.0 sacks and tied for the league lead with eight forced fumbles. Seven of those came on strip-sacks.
Now the outside linebacker, who tweeted that he underwent successful thumb surgery since the year ended, waits as he’s considered for a potential NFL Defensive Player of the Year bid.
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