A.J. Brown a Candidate for Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week

Dec 30, 2019 at 10:10 AM

Quarterback Gardner Minshew (Jaguars), running back David Montgomery (Bears) and wide receivers A.J. Brown (Titans), Mecole Hardman (Chiefs) and Deebo Samuel (49ers) are the nominees for the PEPSI NFL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK for Week 17, the NFL announced today.

Fans can vote for one of these five players on www.nfl.com/rookies through Thursday at 3 PM ET to determine the PEPSI NFL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK. The PEPSI NFL ROOKIE OF THE WEEK will be announced Friday on NFL Total Access on NFL Network and on NFL.com.

After the regular season, five players will be nominated for Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Year honors. Fans can vote for the winner on NFL.com/rookies throughout the month of January.

This is Pepsi's 18th year as the official soft drink sponsor of the NFL and the 17th year that Pepsi will present the NFL Rookie of the Week and NFL Rookie of the Year awards.

WR A.J. BROWN GAME NOTES

· Tallied 124 yards on four receptions (31.0 avg.), including a 51-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter. His 124 yards gave him his third-best total of his rookie season.

· Improved his 2019 season totals to 52 receptions for 1,051 yards and eight touchdowns. He led all NFL rookies in receiving yards.

· His 20.2-yard receiving average in 2019 ranked second among all qualifying NFL players, finishing behind only the Los Angeles Chargers' Mike Williams at 20.4 yards per reception. Brown's receiving average also tied (Drew Hill, 1987) for the sixth-best figure in franchise history among qualifiers.

· Ranked third in team history for receiving yards by a rookie. Only Bill Groman (1,473 yards in 1960) and Ernest Givins (1,062 in 1986) had more.

· Ranked fifth in franchise history for receptions by a rookie. Only Bill Groman (72 in 1960), Kendall Wright (64 in 2012), Ernest Givins (61 in 1986) and Sid Blanks (56 in 1964) had more.

· Tied for third in franchise history for touchdown receptions by a rookie. In addition to Brown, only Bill Groman (12 in 1960), Chris Sanders (nine in 1995) and Mac Haik (eight in 1968) had at least eight touchdown catches as rookies.

· Posted his fourth touchdown reception of the season of at least 50 yards. Since 1970, he is the fourth rookie with at least four touchdown receptions of 50 yards or more and the first since Randy Moss (five in 1998). The others on the list are Isaac Curtis (1973) and Willie Gault (1983).

· Caught a 47-yard pass in the fourth quarter to set up a touchdown. It was his NFL-leading ninth scrimmage play of the season to go at least 45 yards.

· Registered his fourth consecutive game (rushing or receiving) with at least one touchdown. He is the franchise's first rookie to do so since Chris Sanders (five games) in 1995.

· On a 24-yard reception in the second quarter, he went over 1,000 receiving yards on the season. He became the team's first 1,000-yard receiver since tight end Delanie Walker in 2015 (1,088) and the franchise's third rookie 1,000-yard receiver, joining Bill Groman (1,473 yards in 1960) and Ernest Givins (1,062 yards in 1986).

· Joined John Jefferson (1978), Bill Brooks (1986) and Randy Moss (1998) as the NFL's only rookies since 1970 to have a minimum of 50 receptions, 1,000 receiving yards and five receiving touchdowns while averaging at least 17.0 yards per catch.

· Led all NFL rookies with five 100-yard receiving games in 2019. He became the franchise's first rookie to have five 100-yard receiving games since Bill Groman (nine 100-yard games) in 1960.