The NFL announced today that Tampa Bay Buccaneers' defensive lineman, Calijah Kancey, has been named the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month for November.
With the honor, Kancey becomes the first interior defensive lineman in Buccaneers' history to win Rookie of the Month, and is the first Tampa Bay rookie to win the award since safety Antoine Winfield Jr. during September of 2020.
During the month of November, Kancey racked up 10 tackles, nine of which were solo and included seven for a loss, four quarterback hits, two sacks, and a pass defended. Kancey's seven tackles for loss tied him with fellow teammate Lavonte David for the most in the league during the month and were two more than any other rookie.
Kancey has missed three games so far into his rookie season, but still maintains the stats of one of the better rookie defenders this year as he shares the lead amongst rookies in tackles for loss (8), third in QB hits (8), fifth in pressures (25), and eighth in sacks (3).
Calijah Kancey is the second Tampa Bay Buccaneers' player to win Player of the Month honors this season, joining Bucs' punter Jake Camarda who earned the honor of NFC Special Teams Player of the Month back in September. With the acknowledgement, Kancey becomes the fifth defensive player in Tampa Bay Buccaneers' history to earn Rookie of the Month - this includes current fellow teammates LB Lavonte David (2012), LB Devin White twice (2019), and S Antoine Winfield Jr. (2020).
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