Jahmyr Gibbs, Byron Murphy and Corliss Waitman Earn NFC Week 5 Honors
The NFL has announced its NFC Players of the Week for Week 5, recognizing Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs, Minnesota Vikings cornerback Byron Murphy and San Francisco 49ers punter Corliss Waitman for their standout performances.
Gibbs earned Offensive Player of the Week honors after a historic outing against Arizona, while Murphy delivered a two-interception performance for Minnesota. Waitman rounded out the group with a special teams showing that helped San Francisco secure a narrow victory over Seattle.
Jahmyr Gibbs Makes History for Detroit
Gibbs led the NFL with 207 scrimmage yards and ranked second in rushing yards with 151 during Detroit’s 45-21 victory over the Arizona Cardinals. He scored twice, finding the end zone once on the ground and once through the air.
The performance also moved Gibbs past Pro Football Hall of Famer Barry Sanders for the most scrimmage touchdowns by an NFL player before turning 25, according to the league’s announcement.
Gibbs joined an exclusive group of running backs to record at least 700 scrimmage yards and nine scrimmage touchdowns through their teams’ first five games of a season. The group includes Hall of Famers Jim Brown, Eric Dickerson and Emmitt Smith, along with Priest Holmes.
The Week 5 honor marks Gibbs’ fourth career Offensive Player of the Week award. His previous selections came in Week 18 of 2024 and Weeks 10 and 12 of 2025.
He now joins Sanders as the only running backs in Lions franchise history to earn the award four times. Gibbs is also the third former Alabama running back to collect at least four Offensive Player of the Week honors, joining Derrick Henry and Shaun Alexander.
Byron Murphy Shines in Vikings Victory
Murphy made his presence felt on the defensive side of the ball, recording three tackles, two interceptions and a tackle for loss in Minnesota’s 23-13 win over the New Orleans Saints.
The Vikings’ defense limited New Orleans to fewer than 100 passing yards for the second consecutive week, with Murphy’s two interceptions helping disrupt the Saints’ passing attack.
The recognition marks Murphy’s second career Defensive Player of the Week award. His first came in Week 3 of the 2021 season while he played for the Arizona Cardinals.
Murphy becomes the 10th cornerback in Vikings history to receive the honor and the first since Isaiah Rodgers won in Week 3 of the 2025 season. He is also the second former Washington cornerback to win the award multiple times, joining Marcus Peters.
Corliss Waitman Delivers a Special Teams Masterclass
Waitman earned Special Teams Player of the Week after a precision punting performance in San Francisco’s 32-29 win over the Seattle Seahawks.
The 49ers punter recorded five punts for 216 yards, averaging 43.2 yards per punt. All five kicks landed inside the 20-yard line, including three that finished inside the 10.
Both totals tied for the most in a single game this season, according to the NFL announcement, highlighting Waitman’s ability to pin Seattle deep and help San Francisco manage field position in a tight contest.
The award is Waitman’s second career Player of the Week selection. He previously earned the honor in Week 3 of the 2022 season with the Denver Broncos.
Waitman becomes the fourth punter in 49ers history to win Special Teams Player of the Week, joining Andy Lee, Mitch Wishnowsky and Bradley Pinion.
NFC Week 5 Players of the Week
The three selections highlight the impact of explosive offensive production, disruptive defense and reliable special teams play across the NFC.
Offense: Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Detroit Lions
Defense: Byron Murphy, CB, Minnesota Vikings
Special Teams: Corliss Waitman, P, San Francisco 49ers
Source: National Football League (NFL Communications)
