We’re just one week into the 2026 NFL season and the Philadelphia Eagles are already bringing home some hardware.
Each week, the NFL names Defensive Players of the Week for both the AFC and NFC, and it was an Eagles star who claimed the award for the first week of the season.
Zach Baun Named NFC Defensive Player of the Week After Great Game vs. Commanders
Eagles star linebacker Zach Baun was officially named the NFC Defensive Player of the Week for the first week of the ’26 season. Baun was all over the field for the Eagles during their 24-22 victory over the Washington Commanders, and the league took notice.
From the NFL:
Baun recorded 12 tackles, two passes defensed and a tackle for loss in Philadelphia’s 24-22 win against Washington. Per Next Gen Stats, Baun was targeted six times in coverage, allowing three receptions for -2 yards, one of two defenders since the start of last season (Denzel Ward) to allow negative receiving yards on five-or-more targets in a game.
Baun will look to build off of the momentum that he established against Washington in Week 1 when the Eagles travel to Tennessee to take on the Titans in the second week of the season.
Zach Baun Makes Eagles History With Award Win
This is Baun’s second Defensive Player of the Week Award as a member of the Eagles. He also won the award for Week 10 of the 2024 season after a dominant display against the Dallas Cowboys. He now becomes just the third Eagles linebacker to win the award multiple times, joining Seth Joyner (three-time winner) and William Thomas (two).
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