One former WVU football star broke a 15-year drought among defensive players in the AFC last week and was honored by the NFL for his outstanding performance.
Rasul Douglas, who was a member of the West Virginia program from 2015-2016, played a pivotal role on the Miami Dolphins defense in the franchise’s 34-10 win over the New York Jets last weekend. In the victory, he recorded five passes defensed, two tackles, and one interception for his team.
That stat line marks a rare accomplishment for Douglas, as he became the first player in the AFC since 2010 that a player recorded five passes defensed and an interception in a single game. For his efforts, Douglas was named the Week 14 AFC Defensive Player of the Week.
Douglas is currently is his first season with the Dolphins after the Buffalo Bills allowed the ninth-year NFL veteran to walk rather than sign a new contract. So far, he has proved doubters that thought his career was on a downturn wrong, as he has racked up 44 tackles, 11 passes defensed, one sack, and one forced fumble this season with Miami.
The Dolphins have had a rough go of it this season, however, as they are currently just 6-7 overall on the year and third in the AFC East behind the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots. But the full blame for that cannot fall on Douglas, and for now West Virginia fans will be happy to see him continue to excel at an individual level in the NFL.