Broncos LB Cody Barton Named AFC Defensive Player of the Week

For the second time this season, a Denver Broncos defender has earned Conference honors.

Oct 17, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Denver Broncos linebacker Cody Barton (55) celebrates running back an interception for a touchdown against New Orleans Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler during the fourth quarter at Caesars Superdome. / Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

Denver Broncos linebacker Cody Barton has been recognized for his phenomenal performance vs. the New Orleans Saints last week. The NFL has announced Barton as AFC Defensive Player of the Week, per the Broncos.

Barton notched eight tackles (six solo), a sack, a pass defensed, a fumble recovery, and a forced fumble in Thursday night's 33-10 win over the Saints. He returned his fumble recovery 52 yards to the house for a defensive touchdown.

What makes Barton's defensive score all the more impressive is that it was his second of the game. Alas, the first one was called back due to Broncos defensive tackle D.J. Jones being penalized for offsides.

“I was saying it all game," Barton recounted after the Broncos' 33-10 win. "‘It’s going to happen. I am going to get it back. I’m going to get it back.’ It ended up happening. You don’t know when it is going to happen. You just need to be ready when the opportunity presents itself. It happens quick.” 

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Barton joins cornerback Patrick Surtain II and kicker Wil Lutz as Broncos who've earned Conference honors this season. It's the first time since 2019 that two Broncos defenders have earned AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors in the same season.

Barton joined the Broncos this past spring on a one-year deal, meant to start next to Alex Singleton and replace Josey Jewell. With Singleton lost for the season with an early torn ACL, Barton has stepped up as a leader on defense, with Justin Strnad as his trusty linebacker partner.

It's the first time in Barton's career that he's earned Conference honors, and he becomes the eighth Broncos linebacker to garner the accolade — the first since Von Miller in 2018. 32 different Broncos have received the DPoW award (on 40 occasions) since its 1984 inception.

On the season, Barton has appeared in all seven games for the Broncos (four starts), totaling 45 tackles (23 solo), one sack, one pass break-up, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery (returned for a score). Originally a Seattle Seahawks third-round pick out of the University of Utah (2019), he's now on his third NFL team.

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