Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Kawann Short isn’t one for the spotlight. But during his recent stretch, one he admits is his most dominant at any level of football, he hasn’t been able to avoid it.

Ask October’s NFC Defensive Player of the Week why he hates talking about himself and he’ll tell you:

“Because it’s about the team. I’m doing well, but I can’t do it without the guys behind me and beside me. I give credit to those guys.”

He has a point.

Right now, the Panthers’ defense is clicking at all three levels. It’s responsible for both Defensive Player of the Month awards in the NFC this season, but neither has gone to marquee linebackers Luke Kuechly or Thomas Davis.

“Those guys are slacking,” coach Ron Rivera joked.

So because Short hates talking about himself, here’s how four of his describe his month of dominance:

 

Defensive back Bené Benwikere

“He’s been playing lights out. You can’t ask for better production right now. He’s not only giving us production, but he’s grading out as far as percentages of plays, doing his responsibility and it’s not like he’s doing anything wrong. Like every single play he’s doing what we ask for.”

 

Linebacker Luke Kuechly

“I think he’s got a lot of confidence, he’s playing well and he’s putting everything together. His hands, his feet, he understands what moves he can work on certain guys and he’s playing hard. I think if you play hard, with confidence and technique, especially at that position, you’re in a good spot.”

 

Cornerback Josh Norman

“He is a destructive force. When you can give time to the D-line, that guy is going to eat up there. He’s going to have fun … K.K. is the guy; he’s the man.”

 

Safety Tre Boston

“Exceptional, amazing, great, phenomenal, consistent, balling, just a beast. There’s a lot of ways to explain what he is, but at the end of the day, he’s a great guy. A guy you can talk to any day of the week, a guy you can depend on, a guy who just wants to put in work, a guy who doesn’t like to talk about himself. So you’ve got guys like me who talk for him because the world has to know the type of guy he is. He’s a great guy and he’s been playing out of his mind lately.”