The NFL announced on Wednesday that linebacker T.J. Edwards is the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance in the Eagles' victory over the Carolina Panthers. This is Edwards' first career Player of the Week honor. He is the first Eagle to be named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week since Kenjon Barner in 2017.
Edwards blocked Joseph Charlton's punt with four minutes remaining in Sunday's game. Edwards said afterward that it was the first time that he blocked a punt at any level of football. Fellow linebacker Shaun Bradley, who drew the attention of two blockers to help free Edwards, recovered the ball at the Panthers' 27-yard line.
"They hit it, they hit it perfectly," Special Teams Coordinator Michael Clay said on Tuesday, "and it changed the game."
Down 18-13 at the time, quarterback Jalen Hurts scored on a 6-yard touchdown run on the ensuing drive and hit wide receiver DeVonta Smith for the two-point conversion to give the Eagles a 21-18 lead, their first of the game.
"It's just the ultimate team sport, right?" said Edwards, who also chipped in four tackles on Sunday. "You need everybody to be at their best at all times and you know one side's not (doing) as well, the other's got to pick them up. It's going to happen other ways during other games. It was the ultimate team win. It felt great today."
