Saints DT Nathan Shepherd was honored by the NFL after the Saints' Week 10 win over the Panthers.
The veteran defensive lineman was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week after his performance, which included a blocked field goal. It's the first such honor for Shepherd in his 8-year NFL career, the last three of which have been with the Saints.
The situation surrounding the blocked field goal was an interesting one, considering that once Shepherd deflected the ball it then bounced off a Panthers player's helmet and deflected forward past the line of scrimmage. Saints DE Cam Jordan then touched the ball trying to recover it, but it ended up being scooped up by a Panthers defender, meaning Carolina retained possession. The Saints ultimately took over a few plays later when Pete Werner recovered a fumble.
Regardless of the play's outcome, it was an impressive moment for Shepherd and part of what was a standout game for the Saints defensive line. Shepherd also contributed a sack, a quarterback hurry and two solo tackles. The Saints won the game 17-7. The season has been one of the most productive overall for the veteran DT with 29 tackles and a pair of sacks.
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The weekly award is the second for Saints defensive players this season, with CB Kool-Aid McKinstry earning Defensive Player of the Week honors after a Week 5 win over the Giants. Shepherd is the first Saints player to win the weekly special teams award since Bryan Bresee in Week 14 of the 2024 season, when he also blocked a field goal in a win over the Giants.
The Saints (2-8) now head into a bye week before hosting the Atlanta Falcons (3-6) inside the Caesars Superdome. Catch all the action on WWL and Audacy.