Patriots third-year safety Kyle Dugger has been playing some very high-level football lately. His latest impact performance has led to some first-time league recognition for the 2020 second-round draft pick.
On Wednesday afternoon, the NFL announced Dugger as the AFC Defensive Player of the Week for Week 16. In the Patriots’ 23-21 win over Miami, Dugger had a 39-yard pick-six that turned the tide of the game. It was his second pick-six in three weeks, and his third interception and defensive touchdown of the year.
The NFL announces Kyle Dugger is the AFC Defensive Player of the Week for Week 17 pic.twitter.com/eXfl0VJnoV
— Alex Barth (@RealAlexBarth) January 4, 2023Now in his third year in the league, Dugger is playing the best football of his career. So far this season he has 72 tackles including 11 for a loss, a sack, three interceptions, a forced fumble, and those three touchdowns over 14 games.
This is the first time in his three-year career Dugger has earned a Player of the Week award. He’s the fifth Patriots player to get Player of the Week honors this year, and the third on the defensive side of the ball along with Matthew Judon (Week 5) and Josh Uche (Week 14). Nick Folk (Week 8) and Marcus Jones (Week 11) both have gotten Special Teams Player of the Week nods.
With Dugger added to that list, this is the first time since 2017 the Patriots have gotten Player of the Week honors five or more times in a single season. That year it was Tom Brady (three times), Rob Gronkowski, Dion Lewis (twice, once on offense and once on special teams), and Stephen Gostkowski taking home the hardware. The last time five separate players from the Patriots have won in a single season since 2016 with Brady, Gostkowski, Ryan Allen, Dont’a Hightower, and Julian Edelman.
Now the question is will Dugger see any other league hardware come his way? He’s been suggested not only as a Pro Bowl snub, but potential All Pro candidate. If he keeps playing the way he has the last few weeks, those types of recognition should be in his future.
Kyle Dugger’s 2022 game log
Tack Def Fum Snp Date Wk Opp Result GS Sk Solo Ast Comb TFL Int Yds TD PD FF FR Yds TD Def. Pct ST Pct 2022-09-11 1 @ MIA L 7-20 * 0.0 5 1 6 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 51 85% 10 53% 2022-09-18 2 @ PIT W 17-14 * 0.0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 19 32% 6 27% 2022-09-25 3 BAL L 26-37 DNP 2022-10-02 4 @ GNB L 24-27 * 0.0 2 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 42 58% 11 34% 2022-10-09 5 DET W 29-0 * 0.0 1 4 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 59 1 38 58% 8 42% 2022-10-16 6 @ CLE W 38-15 * 0.0 6 2 8 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 52 74% 15 52% 2022-10-24 7 CHI L 14-33 * 0.0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 23 32% 6 24% 2022-10-30 8 @ NYJ W 22-17 DNP 2022-11-06 9 IND W 26-3 * 0.0 2 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 43 69% 7 21% 2022-11-20 11 NYJ W 10-3 * 1.0 4 3 7 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 45 90% 3 10% 2022-11-24 12 @ MIN L 26-33 * 0.0 8 1 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 50 72% 12 36% 2022-12-01 13 BUF L 10-24 * 0.0 5 0 5 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 74 99% 4 17% 2022-12-12 14 @ ARI W 27-13 * 0.0 7 2 9 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 64 85% 7 27% 2022-12-18 15 @ LVR L 24-30 * 0.0 3 3 6 0 1 16 1 1 0 0 0 0 57 84% 11 34% 2022-12-24 16 CIN L 18-22 * 0.0 2 2 4 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 71 86% 7 28% 2023-01-01 17 MIA W 23-21 * 0.0 3 2 5 0 1 39 1 2 0 0 0 0 65 92% 8 30% Total 7-7-0 1.0 49 23 72 5 3 55 2 8 1 1 59 1 Alex Barth is a writer and digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Thoughts? Comments? Questions? Looking for a podcast guest? Let him know on Twitter @RealAlexBarth or via email at [email protected].
