Eagles Linebacker Zack Baun Named NFC Defensive Player Of The Week
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The “Bald Eagle” got off to quite the start in 2026.
Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Zack Baun has been named the NFC Defensive Player of the Week for Week 1. This is the second time Baun has won the weekly award in his career, the last being Week 10 of the 2024 season, and he’s the first Eagle to win it since Cooper DeJean won it last season in Week 16.
It was quite the season opener for the Eagles star inside linebacker as Baun totaled a game-high 12 tackles, seven of them being solo, one tackle for loss and two pass break-ups. He was targeted six times as well in coverage and allowed just three catches for -2 yards, becoming one of just two defenders since the start of last season to face 5+ targets in a game and allow negative receiving yards, the other being Denzel Ward.
During his media session on Tuesday, Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio was asked about what he appreciated about Baun’s performance in Week 1, and he responded with “All of it.” “He played really good. I think it’s a reflection that he played all camp, practiced all camp. Last year he missed most of camp with a back injury. When you practice, you play better.”
It’s high praise for Baun, who’s been a fairytale type of story for the seventh-year linebacker out of Wisconsin. Baun played his first four seasons in New Orleans, mainly playing on special teams and occasionally at edge rusher despite playing off-the-ball linebacker in college.
After his four seasons with the Saints, Baun signed a one-year deal with Philadelphia, shifting back to inside linebacker in Vic Fangio’s defense and never looking back. Since then, Baun has been named First-Team All-Pro, won a Super Bowl, made back-to-back Pro Bowl appearances, and cashed in with a three-year, $51 million contract extension with the Eagles.
“It’s obvious every day, I think, what he does for our defense,” DeJean said. “He’s the leader on our team for a reason. He’s focused, locked in; those are the types of plays that he makes, and we know he’s going to make them. We got a lot of confidence in him, and that’s why he’s in the middle of our defense running the show. He sees things really fast and makes a lot of plays.”
Baun continues to be the anchor of this stellar Eagles defense that constantly ranks near the top of the NFL. After getting off to a fantastic start to 2026, his odds of taking home his second All-Pro selection and third straight Pro Bowl nod seem to only be increasing.
Matt Brown
Matt has been a Philadelphia sports fan all his life and spent four years at Penn State University majoring in Broadcast Journalism and minoring in Sports Studies. He previously covered Penn State’s field hockey, men’s and women’s basketball, and baseball teams while writing for a Penn State blog called Onward State. He has now covered the Phillies, Eagles, and Sixers for Philly Sports Reports since October 2024 and wants to pursue a career in Sports Journalism.
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