DENVER (KDVR) — The Denver Broncos were cited as having secured a draft-day steal when they got Nik Bonitto in the second round with the No. 64 pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, and his recent elite form is proving that statement true every game.
Bonitto’s excellent play saw him named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week after he put on a defensive masterclass in the Broncos’ exhilarating comeback win against the reigning champion Philadelphia Eagles.
He is the first Broncos player to win a Player of the Week award this season, which is also his first time winning the award overall. Bonitto also became the first outside linebacker to receive the honor since Von Miller all the way back in 2018, according to the Broncos.
Following the award, nine Broncos linebackers have earned the AFC Defensive Player of the Week honor, including:
- Cody Barton
- Von Miller
- Wesley Woodyard
- Al Wilson
- D.J. Williams
- Glenn Cadrez
- John Mobley
- Karl Mecklenburg
- Nik Bonitto
He is the 33rd Broncos player to receive the award since it was introduced in 1984.
Any quarterback who steps on the field against Bonitto should be scared — very, very scared. That includes a Super Bowl-winning superstar like Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, who has the stonewall of one of the best offensive lines in the NFL in front of him.
On Sunday, Bonitto didn’t seem to care.
He registered stats, including:
- Four tackles, three solo
- 2.5 sacks for a total loss of 16 yards
- Three quarterback hits
- Two tackles for a loss
He once again joins Miller on a list, becoming the fourth Bronco ever and the first since Miller to record multiple sacks in three consecutive games.
Bonitto has turned into a menace of a pass rusher and is on track to make history at his current rate.
NFL Analyst Adam Levitan said that Bonitto is on pace for 24 sacks this year, with him already getting seven in five games. The record is currently jointly held by Michael Strahan and T.J. Watt, who recorded 22.5 in 2001 and 2021, respectively.
He has a league-high seven sacks for a loss of 54 yards, 31 quarterback pressures and 14 quarterback hits, while also posting 17 tackles, 12 of which were solo. His quarterback pressure rate of 28.4% is also well clear of players like Aidan Hutchinson, Micah Parsons, Myles Garrett and Jared Verse, said Levitan.
Over his four-year career with the Broncos, Bonitto has recorded stats, including:
- 108 tackles, 73 solo
- 30 sacks for a loss of 213 yards
- 61 quarterback hits
- One interception for 71 yards and a touchdown
- Six passes defensed
- Four forced fumbles
- One fumble recovery for 50 yards and a touchdown
If you’re a quarterback, keep your eyes peeled because he is headed for you — whether you like it or not.
Spencer Kristensen
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