The young linebacker had a great opening month

The National Football League today announced that Tampa Bay Bucs linebacker Devin White was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Month for September, garnering the first such award of his career. White previously earned NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month honors twice during the 2019 season.

Over three games in the month of September, White accumulated 24 tackles (three for loss), 3.0 sacks, three quarterback hits, two passes defensed and one forced fumble.

White kicked off the 2022 season with a 2.0-sack performance vs. the Dallas Cowboys, recording the fifth multi-sack performance of his NFL career. He is one of just two off-ball linebackers with at least five multi-sack games since entering the league in 2019. He followed that up with an 11-tackle performance in Week 2 against the New Orleans Saints, adding another sack and a forced fumble.

White was one of just two inside linebackers with 3.0-or-more sacks in the month of September, and he tied for third in the NFC overall in sacks. He is also one of just three NFC players with 3.0-plus sacks and a forced fumble through Week 3.

The fourth-year linebacker out of LSU is a captain and the leading tackler and sack-getter on a Tampa Bay defense which leads the NFL in fewest points per game allowed (9.0) and is tied for the league lead in fewest opponent touchdowns (three) and in takeaways (eight) through Week 3. The Bucs enter Week 4 with a 2-1 record behind a defense that ranks second in fewest opponent first downs per game (14.7), tied for second in defensive fumble recoveries (three), tied for third in interceptions (five), tied for third in sacks (11.0), tied for third in forced fumbles (five), fourth in total defense (289.0 yards allowed per game), fourth in fewest opponent in net yards per pass attempt (5.38), fourth in fewest opponent yards per play allowed (4.54), fifth in fewest opponent rushing yards per game (79.3), sixth in quarterback hits (22) and sixth in lowest opponent third-down conversion percentage (30.2%).

White is the first Tampa Bay player to win an NFC Player of the Month award since Lavonte David (September) and Tom Brady (October) won in consecutive months to begin the 2020 season. White becomes the seventh Bucs player to win NFC Defensive Player of the Month honors joining Pro Football Hall of Famers Derrick Brooks (twice) and Warren Sapp (twice), as well as Shaquil Barrett, Lavonte David, Simeon Rice (twice) and Barrett Ruud.

(Courtesy of the Bucs Communications Department.)