The NFL named Eagles linebacker Zack Baun as the NFC Defensive Player of the Week on Wednesday, following the Eagles' 24-22 win over the Commanders.
The Bald Eagle totaled 12 tackles, one for loss, and broke up two passes. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Baun was targeted six times in coverage and Washington's pass catchers finished with -2 yards against him. According to Pro Football Focus, Baun's 90.6 defensive grade was fourth among all qualifying linebackers, while his coverage grade of 92.3 was second best.
"He has this amazing work ethic," Sirianni said of the defensive captain. "He is highly talented and he puts the work in."
It's the second time in Baun's career (2024 at Cowboys) that he's earned this award. The Eagles are undefeated in season openers (6-0) with Nick Sirianni as the head coach. This marks the fourth time in the last five years that an Eagle has won an NFC Player of the Week honor in Week 1 and the 31st time that an Eagle has captured the award since Sirianni took over in 2021.
Signed by the Eagles in free agency in 2024, Baun is one of the best glow-up stories in franchise history. Originally an edge rusher with special teams prowess, Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio saw Baun as someone who could man the middle of his defense. Baun had a monster debut season, registering 150 tackles, 11 for loss, 14 QB pressures, 3.5 sacks, and one interception and another in Super Bowl LIX. He was a first-team All-Pro and a finalist for the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award. He followed that up with 123 tackles, seven for loss, 20 QB pressures, 3.5 sacks, and a pair of interceptions in 2025.
Baun earned Pro Bowl honors once again and was named by his peers as the 45th-best player in the entire league going into this season. After Sunday's performance, that might be too low.
In the first quarter, Baun teamed up with defensive tackle Jalen Carter to make a stuff on 3rd-and-1 to force a punt. On consecutive plays in the second quarter, he forced an incompletion on a pass attempt to wide receiver Stefon Diggs, then made a tackle on a screen pass that resulted in a 7-yard loss. Early in the third quarter, he made a critical open-field tackle on third down to get the Commanders off the field.
"Happy to get a win, especially in a division game," Baun said in the locker room at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday evening. "Those games are crucial down the stretch and you never know what position you're going to be at the end of the season and to get one at the beginning is nice."
"He's an All-Pro, man. It ain't really nothing to explain. I mean, he does it day by day. He leads our room, he leads by example. He's very, very vocal and he's just a great example of what, not even just a linebacker, but an excellent player, a guy that takes his job very serious on and off the field. I hope that he keeps going, man," said Baun's running mate, linebacker Jihaad Campbell.
Baun's best play arguably was one that didn't result in any addition to the stat sheet. With 5:27 left in the second quarter, Baun followed tight end Chig Okonkwo deep down the right sideline and nearly had an acrobatic interception. The ball was out of bounds and Baun, while he had possession of the ball, just couldn't get his feet in.
"Ain't going to lie. When he caught that little pick, I was like, 'Whoa, I couldn't.' Well, they ruled it out, but when he caught the ball and he had one foot in, I was like, nah, that was a play. That was a play," Campbell said.
Check out the best photos from the locker room, pregame, and game against the Washington Commanders at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday.
TE Dallas Goedert and WR Makai Lemon celebrate Goedert's first touchdown
QB Jalen Hurts pregame
RB Saquon Barkley chased by Commanders
TE E.J. Jenkins pregame
DT Jalen Carter
RB Tank Bigsby and RB Will Shipley
TE Dallas Goedert leaping for his first touchdown of the game
RB Tank Bigsby pregame
RB Saquon Barkley
QB Jalen Hurts
Eagle soaring through Lincoln Financial Field pregame
DT Jalen Carter blocking an extra point
WR Dontayvion Wicks
LB Zack Baun, LB Jihaad Campbell, and OLB Nolan Smith celebrating a tackle for loss
DB Michael Carter II making a tackle
RB Saquon Barkley
QB Jalen Hurts with Offensive Coordinator Sean Mannion
Eagles defenders running out of the tunnel pregame
QB Jalen Hurts
WR Dontayvion Wicks
Eagles fans celebrating
T Jordan Mailata, LB Zack Baun, T Markel Bell, and T Lane Johnson pregame
Since Nick Sirianni became the head coach in 2021, an Eagles player has been named the NFC Player of the Week 31 times
2026 (1 so far)
Zack Baun, Defense vs. Commanders
2025 (5)
Jordan Davis, Special Teams vs. Rams
Quinyon Mitchell, Defense at Buccaneers
Jordan Davis, Defense vs. Lions
Cooper DeJean, Defense at Commanders
Jalen Carter, Special Teams at Bills
2024 (7)
Saquon Barkley, Offense vs. Packers (in Brazil)
Saquon Barkley, Offense at Giants
Saquon Barkley, Offense vs. Jaguars
Zack Baun, Defense at Cowboys
Saquon Barkley, Offense at Rams
Braden Mann, Special Teams at Ravens
C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Defense vs. Cowboys
2023 (6)
Jake Elliott, Special Teams at Patriots
D'Andre Swift, Offense vs. Vikings
Jake Elliott, Special Teams vs. Commanders
A.J. Brown, Offense vs. Dolphins
Jalen Hurts, Offense at Commanders
Jake Elliott, Special Teams vs. Bills
2022 (9)
Zech McPhearson, Special Teams at Lions
Big Play Slay, Defense vs. Vikings
Brandon Graham, Defense at Commanders
Haason Reddick, Defense vs. Jaguars
Cameron Dicker, Special Teams at Cardinals
Jalen Hurts, Offense vs. Packers
Jalen Hurts, Offense vs. Titans
Brandon Graham, Defense at Giants
Jake Elliott, Special Teams vs. Giants
2021 (3)
T.J. Edwards, Special Teams at Panthers
Big Play Slay, Defense at Broncos
Jake Elliott, Special Teams vs. Saints
