Ernest Jones IV Earns NFC Defensive Player of the Week After Dominant Two-Pick Performance
Seattle’s defense has been quietly building something special this season, and in Week 13, linebacker Ernest Jones IV made sure the rest of the league took notice.
Jones was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week for the second time this season, and it’s easy to see why. In the Seahawks’ 26-0 shutout win over the Minnesota Vikings, the fifth-year linebacker turned in a performance that had a little bit of everything: instincts, athleticism, and game-changing plays.
Let’s start with the headline moment - the 85-yard pick-six. With Seattle clinging to a 3-0 lead late in the second quarter and the Vikings threatening deep in Seahawks territory following a Sam Darnold fumble, Jones flipped the script.
Minnesota quarterback Max Brosmer, under heavy pressure from DeMarcus Lawrence, tried to improvise with an underhand toss. It floated directly into the hands of Jones, who didn’t hesitate.
He took off, untouched, 85 yards to the house. According to Next Gen Stats, Jones covered a total of 110.88 yards on the return - a testament to both his speed and effort.
That play didn’t just swing momentum. It slammed the door on Minnesota’s best scoring chance of the day and gave Seattle a 10-0 lead heading into halftime. From there, the Seahawks defense never looked back.
But Jones wasn’t done. Early in the fourth quarter, he was in the right place again, snagging his second interception of the day after cornerback Josh Jobe broke up a pass intended for Justin Jefferson. That takeaway sealed any hopes of a Vikings comeback and capped off Jones’ first career multi-interception game in 73 appearances.
And it wasn’t just about the picks. Jones also led the team with 12 tackles and added two passes defended, showing the kind of sideline-to-sideline range and awareness that has made him a cornerstone of this defense.
With five interceptions on the season - all coming this year - Jones is now tied for second in the NFL and leads the Seahawks in that category. To put that in perspective: he had five total picks in his first four seasons combined. This year, he’s matched that in just 13 weeks.
Jones becomes the second Seahawk to earn Defensive Player of the Week honors this season, joining DeMarcus Lawrence, who took home the award in Week 10 after scoring two defensive touchdowns of his own against Arizona. It’s the first time in Jones’ career he’s received the weekly honor, and it couldn’t have come at a more pivotal time.
With the win, the Seahawks improved to 9-3, keeping pace with the Los Angeles Rams atop the NFC West. The Rams hold the current tiebreaker after winning the first head-to-head matchup, but the two teams still have one more meeting on the calendar - and if Jones keeps playing at this level, that rematch could help decide the division.
Next up for Seattle: a road trip to Atlanta to face the Falcons on Sunday morning. Kickoff is set for 10 a.m. local time, with radio coverage on Seattle Sports 710 AM and KIRO Newsradio 97.3 FM.
For now, though, the spotlight belongs to Ernest Jones IV - a linebacker who’s not just making plays, but making statements.