Bengals K Evan McPherson was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Month for December.
McPherson, a rookie out of the University of Florida, made nine of his 11 FGs and eight of his nine PATs in December. Two of his December FGs were from 50-plus, including a Bengals-record 58-yarder on Dec. 19 at Denver. McPherson now has nine FGs from 50 or more yards this season — the most in the NFL this year, the most in team history for a season and an entire career, and one shy of tying the NFL's single-season record (10, by Blair Walsh in 2012, Justin Tucker in '16 and Brandon McManus in '20).
McPherson scored 35 points in December — more than one-third of Cincinnati's 101 total points for the month — and his 120 points on the year are fourth in the AFC and just 12 shy of the Bengals' single-season record.
McPherson won AFC Special Teams Player of the week in Weeks 1 and 11, making this his third AFC award of the season. Bengals players have combined to win eight weekly and/or monthly awards this year. AFC players of the week have included QB Joe Burrow (Weeks 4 and 16, offense), WR Ja'Marr Chase (Week 7, offense), McPherson (Weeks 1 and 11, special teams), and HB Joe Mixon (Week 12, offense). Chase also won NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month for September.
