Patriots get Player of the Week award winner for first time since 2022

For the first time in three years, a New England Patriots player is being awarded Player of the Week honors in the NFL.

This week, veteran running back and returner Antonio Gibson received honors for AFC Special Teams Player of the Week. It’s the first time that Gibson has ever received a Player of the Week honor, and it is also the first time a Patriots player has received the honor since Kyle Dugger did on defense in Week 17 of the 2022 season.

Gibson made the play of the game in Week 2 against the Miami Dolphins, after the Patriots’ special teams unit gave up a 74-yard touchdown on a punt return. He responded on the ensuing kickoff by taking it 90 yards to the house for a touchdown.

Additional nuggets:

🏈 First Player of the Week honor in Antonio Gibson’s 6-year NFL career

🏈Was Gibson’s 1st career kickoff return for TD

🏈 First Player of the Week award for a Patriots player since the 2022 season (Kyle Dugger/defense/Week 17) https://t.co/lkd0DbedKi

— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) September 17, 2025

ANTONIO GIBSON. BACK-TO-BACK RETURN TDS IN MIAMI!

NEvsMIA on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/prQPqqMCYo

— NFL (@NFL) September 14, 2025

The Patriots might need to lean on more great special teams plays, like the one Gibson had against the Dolphins, if they hope to win more than four games this season. When a play needed to be made, he stepped up in a major way for the team.

It kept the team in the fight and ultimately led to them coming out on top with a 33-27 victory.

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This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Patriots get Player of the Week award winner for first time since 2022