The National Football League today announced that Tampa Bay Buccaneers inside linebacker Devin White was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week for Week 7. Earning his first career Defensive Player of the Week recognition, White becomes the ninth different Tampa Bay linebacker to win the award and the second this season (Shaquil Barrett, Week 3).
Against the Las Vegas Raiders, White posted a career-high 3.0 sacks to go along with 11 tackles and a forced fumble, becoming the first player in Buccaneers history to record 10-or-more tackles and at least 3.0 sacks in a game. He is one of only two players in the NFL to record those numbers in a game this season, along with Los Angeles Rams linebacker Troy Reader (Week 5 at Washington).
White's 3.0 sacks led all NFL players in Week 7, while his 11 tackles ranked seventh. The second-year linebacker has recorded 10-or-more tackles in four-of-seven games this season, tying for the fourth-most such games in the NFL in 2020. With 61 tackles and 4.0 sacks through Week 7, White is the only player in the league with 50-or-more tackles and at least 3.0 sacks this season. His 61 tackles rank sixth among all players in 2020.
White is also the only player since at least 2000 with 150-plus tackles, 5.0-or-more sacks and five-or-more fumble recoveries in his first 20 career games. Over his first 20 NFL contests, White has tallied 152 tackles (10 for loss), 11 quarterback hits, 6.5 sacks, five passes defensed, five fumble recoveries, four forced fumbles, two defensive touchdowns and one interception.
The NFC Defensive Player of the Week award for White comes after winning back-to-back Defensive Rookie of the Month honors in November and December of 2019 prior to being named to the 2019 PFWA NFL All-Rookie Team.
White is part of a defense that ranks first in the NFL in rushing yards allowed (66.0 per game), third in total yards allowed (291.3 per game) and ninth in passing yards allowed (225.3 per game). Tampa Bay also leads the league in defensive rushing average (3.0 opponent yards per carry) and fewest explosive plays allowed (26), and ranks second in the NFL in sacks (25.0), tied for second in interceptions (9), third in tackles for loss (40), third in pressures (78), tied for third in takeaways (12), fourth in quarterback hits (51), tied for sixth in passes defensed (34) and eighth in points allowed (20.3 per game).
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