Chauncey Gardner-Johnson Doesn't Win, Ends Eagles' Streak of Player of Week Honors

The safety was certainly deserving of making it six straight weeks an Eagles player picked up an award, but Seattle's Tariq Woolen won instead

Ed Kracz/SI Fan Nation Eagles Today

It had to end sometime, but this week, after what Chauncey Gardner-Johnson did to help keep the Eagles undefeated?

For the first time this season, a player from the league’s lone unbeaten team won’t be taking home an NFC Player of the Week award.

Maybe that’s greedy.

Maybe this take is driven by a sports town that is quickly becoming spoiled by the recent successes of the Phillies – now three wins away from going to the World Series – the 3-0 Flyers, and the expectations being heaped on a Sixers team that lost its opener, but still has 81 games to play.

Or maybe it’s just because Gardner-Johnson deserved it.

Primarily a slot cornerback in New Orleans after arriving in the league as a fourth-round draft pick of the Saints in 2019, CGJ was asked to become a full-time safety when he was acquired in a trade on Aug. 30.

Without the benefit of any training camp with his new teammates and coaches, he has adjusted well.

In the Eagles' 26-17 win over the Dallas Cowboys in primetime, he made two interceptions and four tackles. His one pick set up a touchdown, and his other with five minutes left, just about sealed the Eagles’ sixth straight victory.

He has three interceptions in his last two games.

And, oh by the way, he did it in primetime and for a team that has yet to lose.

“That's a new position he's playing,” said Eagles DC Jonathan Gannon on Tuesday. “That is a hard position to play. As is the nickel corner, but (safety) it's different. 

"It's a little more of a space game now that he's playing and just getting acclimated to that. Getting reps and time under task with that, and I think he'll continue to (get even better).”

The NFC Defensive Player of the Week award went to Seattle rookie cornerback Tariq Woolen, who wasn’t playing on a national stage and for a team that had just two wins before beating the Cardinals, 19-9, to get to 3-3.

Falcons QB Marcus Mariota was the Offensive Player of the Week while Vikings punter Ryan Wright picked up the special teams award.

This isn’t meant to belittle Woolen. He had a nice game.

The fifth-round draft pick from Texas-San Antonio made five tackles, intercepted a pass, and recovered a fumble to become the first rookie since 1970 to record both an interception and opponent fumble recovery in consecutive games.

Still, the Eagles should have set a new league record by making it six straight weeks with a Player of the Week award.

They had won five in a row with Zech McPhearson, Darius Slay, Brandon Graham, Haason Reddick, and Cameron Dicker taking home the award.

It was the first time players from the same team had done that to start a season since 1991 when the Bills did it. They were the first team to win five straight since the 2005 Bears (Weeks 8-12).

In the grand scheme of things, it probably doesn’t matter. There are much bigger awards to be won, such as the NFC East and the Super Bowl.

Still, deserving is deserving, and Gardner-Johnson was deserving.

Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s Fan Nation Eagles Today and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles or www.eaglesmaven.com and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.