The Pittsburgh Steelers are entering their bye week with a stellar 6-2 record, and are coming off a big prime time win over the New York Giants in Week 8 on Monday Night Football. In that game there were two players who played well enough to earn some NFL honors by being named Players of the Week for the AFC.

Those players would be WR/PR Calvin Austin III and OLB T.J. Watt.

.@CalvinAustinIII has been named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week ‼️

📝: https://t.co/9mOOYH68Tp pic.twitter.com/sVHHrqpH5O

— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) October 30, 2024

With the game tied, 9-9, Austin returned a punt 73-yards for a touchdown on a play that sent Steelers Nation into a frenzy and turned the tide in the game. And he wasn’t done yet. While it didn’t count in him earning the award, Austin also pulled in a 29-yard touchdown catch, finishing the night with three catches for 54 yards, and the first two-touchdown game of his career.

This is the first time Austin has been recognized for a league award of any kind.

.@_TJWatt has been named AFC Defensive Player of the Week 🙌

📝: https://t.co/9mOOYH5B3R pic.twitter.com/IT7DtP3KK8

— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) October 30, 2024

As for Watt, he had seven tackles, two sacks, including a strip-sack that he recovered near the end of the game.

This is the eighth time Watt has won AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors, previously doing so Weeks 1 and 5 of 2018; Week 2 of 2020; Weeks 6, 13 and 17 of 2021; and Week 18 of 2023.

The Steelers have the bye in Week 9, and it will provide them some rest and relaxation before a daunting second half of the season which includes all six of their AFC North games. But the gauntlet starts with a Week 10 matchup on the road vs. the Washington Commanders. Be sure to stay tuned to SCN for the latest news and notes surrounding the Steelers as they prepare for the second half of the regular season.