Quarterback AARON RODGERS of the Green Bay Packers, linebacker BRIAN URLACHER of the Chicago Bears and kick returner-punt returner-special teamer ERIC WEEMSof the Atlanta Falcons are the NFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Month for December/January, the NFL announced today.
OFFENSE: QB AARON RODGERS, GREEN BAY PACKERS
- Rodgers started four games during the month and posted a 3-1 record to help the Packers clinch a playoff spot.
- He completed 72 of 106 passes (67.9 percent) for 977 yards with eight touchdowns and two interceptions for a 114.4 passer rating, the best mark in the NFC. He averaged 9.22 yards per attempt, tops in the NFL.
- In Week 13, he threw for 298 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions, becoming the first Packers QB since Pro Football Hall of Famer BART STARR in 1966 to not throw an interception in five consecutive games.
- In Week 16, he had a career-high 404 passing yards and threw four TDs. It was the 10th time in his career that he threw at least three TDs and no INTs in a game, the most by a QB within three seasons of his first start.
- He earned NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors twice during the month (Weeks 13 and 16).
- In his sixth season from California, this is Rodgers' second career Player of the Month Award (October 2009).
- He joins BRETT FAVRE (five) as the only Packers to be named Offensive Player of the Month multiple times.
DEFENSE: LB BRIAN URLACHER, CHICAGO BEARS
- Urlacher led the NFC with 49 tackles during the month. He added 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble and three passes defensed as the Bears won the NFC North and secured a first-round bye in the playoffs.
- He was selected to his seventh Pro Bowl, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers MIKE SINGLETARY (10), DICK BUTKUS (eight) and BILL GEORGE (eight) as the only Bears LBs to be named an All-Star at least seven times.
- Urlacher had his two highest tackle totals of the season during the month, recording 17 tackles in Week 13 and 11 tackles in Week 14.
- Urlacher led the team in tackles for the eighth time in his career.
- In his 11th year from New Mexico, this is Urlacher's first career Player of the Month Award. He is the second consecutive Bear to be honored (JULIUS PEPPERS, November).
- He joins WILBER MARSHALL (December 1986), TRACE ARMSTRONG (September 1990) and Peppers as the only Bears to be named Defensive Player of the Month.
SPECIAL TEAMS: KR-PR-ST ERIC WEEMS, ATLANTA FALCONS
- Weems was the only player during the month to return both a kickoff (102 yards) and a punt (55 yards) for a touchdown. He is the only player in the NFC to record both this season and the first player in franchise history to accomplish the feat.
- Weems, who was selected to his first Pro Bowl as the special teamer, also recorded six special teams tackles in the month and led the team on the season with 16.
- He averaged 30.9 yards per kickoff return, including a 102-yard TD in Week 13, the longest in club history.
- He averaged 12.0 yards per punt return, including a 55-yard TD in Week 17.
- In his third year from Bethune-Cookman, this is Weems' first career Player of the Month Award. He was named NFC Special Teams Player of Week 13.
- This is the third consecutive month a Falcon has been honored (RODDY WHITE, Offense, October and MATT RYAN, Offense, November), the first time Atlanta has won three monthly awards in a single season.
