Buffalo Bills LB Terrel Bernard named AFC Defensive Player of the Week

Buffalo Bills linebacker Terrel Bernard has been named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week 12 following an impressive performance in Week 11. Bernard played an inspiring brand of defense against the Kansas City Chiefs, which included a game-sealing interception of quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ on KC’s final drive of the game.

The team’s defensive captain, Bernard finished with a team-high eight tackles, one sack, and an interception against the Chiefs. He was the only player in the NFL to register both an interception and a sack in Week 11.

Bernard played a key role this past Sunday in almost completely erasing tight end Travis Kelce (two catches for eight yards) from the game plan.

 Photo by Lauren Leigh Bacho/Getty Images

As an unknown depth player drafted to learn behind Tremaine Edmunds, Bernard shot out of a cannon in his second season with the Bills (2023). His name was a hot topic ahead of last season after Edmunds left for Chicago in free agency. Few had any idea of his true potential, no doubt in part due to the amount of time he missed during training camp and preseason action.

A smaller athletic brand of linebacker, Bernard represented a departure from the sort of player Edmunds offered Buffalo. In tandem with linebacker Matt Milano, Bernard offers the Bills complete scheme versatility on any given down.

This is Bernard’s second AFC DPotW award, with the other one coming in 2023 after Buffalo’s Week 3 win against the Washington Commanders. In that game, Bernard led the team in tackles with seven (5 solo), two tackles for loss, claimed two sacks, one interception, and a fumble recovery.

Bernard is the sixth Bills player to earn weekly honors in 2024, joining kicker Tyler Bass, quarterback Josh Allen, cornerback Taron Johnson, running back James Cook, and defensive end Greg Rousseau.