Detroit Lions LB Jarrad Davis earns praise from NFL for big hit on David Johnson

Detroit Lions linebacker Jarrad Davis enjoyed one of his best games as an NFL linebacker last week. He tallied eight tackles (seven solo), 1.0 sacks, two tackles for losses, one pass defended and a quarterback hit. And on Thursday, he received the NFL Way to Play Award for Week 14.

The Way to Play Award is given to the player that exemplifies proper technique in accordance to the NFL’s rules. Often, the award goes to a player that lays a big hit on someone while not violating one of the league’s strict rules regarding tacking technique. That’s the case for Davis, who earned the honors—and a $2,500 equipment grant for a youth football program of his choosing—for this hit on Cardinals running back David Johnson.

This isn’t the first time a Lions player has won the award. Quandre Diggs won the first Way to Play Award of 2018 for this hit on Quincy Enunwa:

Congratulations to Davis, who becomes the second Lions defender honored for their performance against the Cardinals. On Wednesday, cornerback Darius Slay was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week after snagging a pick-six off of Josh Rosen.