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AFL Jacksonville Sharks

Joe Sykes Wins AFL Highlight of the Week

July 14, 2015 - Arena Football League (AFL)
Jacksonville Sharks News Release


JACKSONVILLE - The Jacksonville Sharks and the Arena Football League announced Tuesday that Jacksonville defensive lineman Joe Sykes has earned the AFL Highlight of the Week award for Week 16 of the 2015 season. The League is honoring Sykes for his second-quarter sack and forced fumble in the Sharks' game against the Portland Thunder on Saturday, July 11.

Late in the second quarter of Saturday's game, Portland's offense faced a second-down situation from its own 21-yard line. As Thunder quarterback Kyle Rowley snapped the ball, Sykes blew past his man to the outside, hammered Rowley from the blind side and jarred the ball free. The fumble eventually caromed all the way back into the Portland end zone, where Jacksonville Jack linebacker Alvin Ray Jackson fell on the loose ball for a Shark touchdown.

Sykes' strip-sack proved to be a historic play, as he established a new single-season League record with his 10th forced fumble of the 2015 season. Sykes also tied his own single-season AFL sack record (16.0) on that play, matching the total that he compiled during his Defensive Player of the Year season with the San Jose SaberCats in 2012. Sykes now needs just one partial sack over the course of the last four regular-season games to make his 2015 campaign the most productive individual pass rushing season in the AFL's 28-year history.

Sykes has exemplified consistency this season, as he has recorded a sack in all but two of the Sharks' 14 games. At one point, Sykes brought down the quarterback in 10 consecutive games, doubling the longest previous streak in Jacksonville franchise history. In addition to his sack and fumble totals, Sykes has recorded 35.0 tackles (28 solo), 20.0 tackles for loss, two pass breakups and a safety.

Sykes' honor is the seventh Weekly award won by a Shark this season. Wide receiver Joe Hills was named the J. Lewis Small Playmaker of the Week for Week 1 and earned Russell Athletic Offensive Player of the Week honors in Week 12. Wide receiver Tiger Jones earned Offensive Player of the Week honors in Week 3 and Cutters Catch of the Week honors in Week 4. The Sharks had two weekly award winners in Week 14, as quarterback Tommy Grady was named Offensive Player of the Week and Jackson earned Playmaker of the Week honors.

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