After an impressive performance in the Giants' Week 4 win over the Arizona Cardinals, cornerback Deonte Banks was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Week.
Banks, who returned to the field on Sunday after missing the last two games with a calf injury, made his presence known against Arizona. He made four tackles, defended four passes and, most notably, returned an interception 98 yards for a touchdown on the final play of the game to secure a 36-24 New York win.
That interception came with the game on the line as the Cardinals trailed by six with a fourth-and-goal at the four-yard line. He also broke up a pass at the goal line on third down.
NFC Defensive Player of the Week!!! 🏦 pic.twitter.com/9TCfDG5845
— New York Giants (@Giants) October 7, 2026
BANKS CALLS GAME!!! pic.twitter.com/P5TuEOvjxH
— NFL (@NFL) October 4, 2026
Banks becomes the first Giants player to be named NFC Defensive Player of the Week since Bobby Okereke in the final weekend of the 2025 regular season.
"You want the pressure?"
— NFL (@NFL) October 6, 2026
John Harbaugh was ready for somebody to make a play, and then Deonte Banks did just that.@insidetheNFL Week 4 Mic'd Up on X pic.twitter.com/9ygrscqeE2
The fourth-year pro was a first-round pick for New York in 2023, but he lost his starting job last season and mostly saw action as a kick returner. However, he won the starting cornerback job this offseason over Paulson Adebo, and now he has a weekly conference award to show for it.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Giants' Deonte Banks named NFC Defensive Player of the Week
