Add another accolade to Derwin James, Jr.’s long résumé.
The Chargers All-Pro safety was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week on Wednesday, marking the first time James has earned the award.
James previously won a pair of Defensive Player of the Month honors.
James' award comes after a stat-stuffing performance in Week 3, as he put forth a dominant performance in the Bolts' 23-20 victory over Denver to help the Chargers get to 3-0 on the season.
James totaled a team-leading 12 tackles (10 solo), a sack and a career-high four tackles for loss.
This made him just the sixth NFL player and first defensive back to have 10 solo tackles, a sack and four tackles for loss in a single game since tackles for loss began being tracked in 2008.
It was the first such performance by any NFL player in eight seasons.
Browse through live action photos of the Bolts Week 3 matchup against the Denver Broncos at SoFI Stadium!
S Tony Jefferson (23)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
WR Quentin Johnston (1)
WR Quentin Johnston (1)
WR Quentin Johnston (1)
WR Quentin Johnston (1)
G Zion Johnson (77)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
K Cameron Dicker (11) and P JK Scott (16)
P JK Scott (16) and K Cameron Dicker (11)
LB Daiyan Henley (0), OLB Bud Dupree (48) and CB Tarheeb Still (29)
CB Tarheeb Still (29)
S Alohi Gilman (32)
OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45)
S Alohi Gilman (32)
S Alohi Gilman (32)
LB Marlowe Wax (58)
WR Derius Davis (12)
RB Najee Harris (22)
C Bradley Bozeman (75) and QB Justin Herbert (10)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
G Mekhi Becton (73), C Bradley Bozeman (75), G Zion Johnson (77), QB Justin Herbert (10) and T Joe Alt (76)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
OLB Caleb Murphy (50)
OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45) and LB Troy Dye (43)
LB Troy Dye (43)
DT Jamaree Caldwell (99)
DT Jamaree Caldwell (99)
DT Jamaree Caldwell (99) and LB Daiyan Henley (0)
DT Jamaree Caldwell (99) and LB Daiyan Henley (0)
LB Daiyan Henley (0)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
RB Hassan Haskins (28) and LB Marlowe Wax (58)
LB Daiyan Henley (0), S Derwin James Jr. (3) and DL Naquan Jones (96)
S Derwin James Jr. (3) and DL Naquan Jones (96)
S Derwin James Jr. (3)
S Derwin James Jr. (3)
S Derwin James Jr. (3)
S Derwin James Jr. (3)
CB Benjamin St-Juste (24)
CB Benjamin St-Juste (24) and S Tony Jefferson (23)
CB Tarheeb Still (29) and CB Benjamin St-Juste (24)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
QB Justin Herbert (10) and RB Najee Harris (22)
WR Ladd McConkey (15)
RB Najee Harris (22)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
TE Oronde Gadsden (86)
TE Oronde Gadsden (86)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
TE Oronde Gadsden (86) and QB Justin Herbert (10)
TE Oronde Gadsden (86) and QB Justin Herbert (10)
QB Justin Herbert (10) and TE Oronde Gadsden (86)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
TE Oronde Gadsden (86)
TE Oronde Gadsden (86)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
TE Oronde Gadsden (86)
DL Justin Eboigbe (92)
DL Teair Tart (90)
S Derwin James Jr. (3)
S Derwin James Jr. (3)
S Derwin James Jr. (3)
S Derwin James Jr. (3)
S Derwin James Jr. (3)
S Derwin James Jr. (3)
LB Daiyan Henley (0)
OLB Bud Dupree (48) and S Derwin James Jr. (3)
DL Teair Tart (90) and S Derwin James Jr. (3)
DL Teair Tart (90) and S Derwin James Jr. (3)
DL Teair Tart (90) and S Derwin James Jr. (3)
DL Teair Tart (90) and S Derwin James Jr. (3)
S Derwin James Jr. (3)
S Alohi Gilman (32), DL Teair Tart (90) and CB Benjamin St-Juste (24)
DL Teair Tart (90)
DL Teair Tart (90)
CB Donte Jackson (26)
WR Derius Davis (12)
DB Ja'Sir Taylor (36) and LB Del'Shawn Phillips (53)
WR Derius Davis (12)
WR Derius Davis (12)
WR Derius Davis (12)
S Derwin James Jr. (3)
LB Troy Dye (43)
CB Tarheeb Still (29)
OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45)
S Alohi Gilman (32) and DL Teair Tart (90)
S Derwin James Jr. (3)
DL Teair Tart (90)
S Tony Jefferson (23)
S Tony Jefferson (23)
WR Quentin Johnston (1)
WR Quentin Johnston (1)
WR Ladd McConkey (15)
WR Ladd McConkey (15)
WR Derius Davis (12)
WR Quentin Johnston (1)
WR Quentin Johnston (1)
WR Quentin Johnston (1)
WR Quentin Johnston (1)
WR Quentin Johnston (1)
WR Quentin Johnston (1) and G Zion Johnson (77)
WR Quentin Johnston (1)
WR Quentin Johnston (1)
WR Quentin Johnston (1)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
WR Keenan Allen (13) and RB Omarion Hampton (8)
WR Keenan Allen (13) and RB Omarion Hampton (8)
RB Omarion Hampton (8) and WR Keenan Allen (13)
G Zion Johnson (77) and WR Keenan Allen (13)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
RB Omarion Hampton (8) and Running Backs Coach Kiel McDonald
S Alohi Gilman (32)
CB Donte Jackson (26) and S Tony Jefferson (23)
CB Tarheeb Still (29)
T Joe Alt (76)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
G Zion Johnson (77)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
LB Troy Dye (43)
S Alohi Gilman (32), LB Daiyan Henley (0), DL Justin Eboigbe (92) and DT Jamaree Caldwell (99)
OLB Caleb Murphy (50)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
T Joe Alt (76), TE Oronde Gadsden (86), WR Keenan Allen (13) and WR Quentin Johnston (1)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
WR Ladd McConkey (15)
WR Ladd McConkey (15)
WR Ladd McConkey (15)
TE Tyler Conklin (83) and WR Ladd McConkey (15)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
WR Quentin Johnston (1)
WR Quentin Johnston (1)
WR Keenan Allen (13) and WR Quentin Johnston (1)
WR Ladd McConkey (15)
WR Quentin Johnston (1)
DL Naquan Jones (96), S Derwin James Jr. (3) and LB Troy Dye (43)
S Derwin James Jr. (3)
S Derwin James Jr. (3) and OLB Bud Dupree (48)
S Derwin James Jr. (3)
S Derwin James Jr. (3)
CB Tarheeb Still (29)
CB Tarheeb Still (29)
CB Tarheeb Still (29), CB Donte Jackson (26) and S Alohi Gilman (32)
CB Tarheeb Still (29), CB Donte Jackson (26) and S Alohi Gilman (32)
CB Tarheeb Still (29), CB Donte Jackson (26) and S Alohi Gilman (32)
S Derwin James Jr. (3)
DL Teair Tart (90)
OLB Kyle Kennard (54)
S Derwin James Jr. (3)
S Derwin James Jr. (3)
S Derwin James Jr. (3)
CB Donte Jackson (26) and S Derwin James Jr. (3)
S Derwin James Jr. (3)
S Alohi Gilman (32)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
OL Jamaree Salyer (68), C Bradley Bozeman (75), G Zion Johnson (77) and T Joe Alt (76)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
S Derwin James Jr. (3) and LB Daiyan Henley (0)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
QB Justin Herbert (10)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
WR Keenan Allen (13) and WR Quentin Johnston (1)
WR Keenan Allen (13) and WR Quentin Johnston (1)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
WR Keenan Allen (13)
OLB Bud Dupree (48) and OLB Kyle Kennard (54)
P JK Scott (16) and K Cameron Dicker (11)
P JK Scott (16) and K Cameron Dicker (11)
OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45)
S Tony Jefferson (23) and S Alohi Gilman (32)
DB Ja'Sir Taylor (36) and OLB Caleb Murphy (50)
OLB Caleb Murphy (50)
RB Hassan Haskins (28) and OLB Caleb Murphy (50)
S Tony Jefferson (23)
OLB Bud Dupree (48)
OLB Tuli Tuipulotu (45)
S Tony Jefferson (23)
LB Daiyan Henley (0) and CB Donte Jackson (26)
TE Oronde Gadsden (86)
RB Omarion Hampton (8)
WR Ladd McConkey (15)
WR Ladd McConkey (15)
P JK Scott (16) and K Cameron Dicker (11)
P JK Scott (16) and K Cameron Dicker (11)
K Cameron Dicker (11)
S Derwin James Jr. (3)
And coming off James' performance, Chargers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh was clear about just how high of a level he's been playing.
"If they're talking about Defensive Player of the Year, Derwin James," Harbaugh said Monday after Week 3.
As usual, James has been all over the field with 26 tackles (18 solo), a sack, five tackles for loss, three quarterback hits and two passes defensed through three games.
His tackle for loss total is currently tied for third in the NFL, but of the 19 defensive players who have at least four, James is the only defensive back among the group.
James has also allowed just 51 receiving yards in coverage on 16 targets, the 2nd-fewest yards per target (3.2) among 40 defensive backs with at least 15 targets this season, according to NFL Next Gen Stats.
After having one of the best seasons in his career last year, James has taken things up another level so far in 2025.
"I've called him the best safety I've ever seen in the history of the National Football League," Harbaugh said after Week 2. "I don't think I'm going out on a limb there. He is one of the most incredible players I've ever watched."
