After closing out his 2024 season with yet another dominant performance, Seahawks defensive lineman Leonard Williams was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Month for December/January.
Williams, who had a pair of sacks in Seattle's Week 18 win over the Rams, tied for the NFL lead in both sacks (6.0) and tackles for loss (nine) in December and January, helping the Seahawks go 4-2 over that span. Williams also had a 92-yard pick six to kick off December, sparking a comeback win over the Jets, the longest interception return touchdown by a defensive lineman in NFL history, according to ESPN Research.
"He didn't need an exclamation point, but he sure added one today with all the work that he's done," Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said after Sunday’s win. "… This guy had two sacks. He got to 11 (on the season). He's playing his ass off. He should be a First Team All-Pro, should be a Pro Bowler."
Williams somehow was not named to the NFC's Pro Bowl roster (he is an alternate) despite finishing the season ranked first among interior linemen in both sacks (11.0) and tackles for loss (16). Williams was also the one of only two players, along with Myles Garrett, widely considered one of the league's best edge rushers, to have three games with 2-plus sacks and 3-plus tackles for loss this season, with two of those games coming in December.
This is the first Player of the Month award for Williams, who also was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week in Week 13, and he becomes the first Seahawks player to be named Player of the Month since Geno Smith was named in October of 2022, and the first Seahawks defensive player since Cliff Avril in 2016.
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams finished the 2024 season with a team-high 11 sacks and 16 tackles for loss. Check out the best photos from Williams' dominant 2024 season.
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams (99).
