After nailing a 58-yard game-winning field goal to give the Cleveland Browns their first win of the 2022 season, kicker Cade York was named the AFC’s special teams player of the week. His inspiring performance turned heads around the NFL, and his contributions clearly warranted formal recognition.
In addition to the game-winner, York went four-for-four on three-point tries and was perfect on his two-point after attempts. He accounted for more than half of the Browns’ scoring total in the 26-24 win and played a key factor in getting Cleveland off to a hot start in their latest campaign.
As a rookie, York is the fifth first-year player to win the award since the honor’s inception. He joins former Browns punter Jamie Gillan and legendary kicker Morten Anderson as the only members of the franchise to be granted the honor.
York played his college ball at Louisiana State University, steadying the Tigers’ program through all the ups and downs they saw from 2019 through last season. He was a key part of LSU’s national championship as a freshman, was named to the All-SEC second team that year as well as in 2021, and was on the All-SEC freshman team. After a stellar 2020 season, he was selected as a second-team All-American, and to the All-SEC first team, marking the most decorated year of his collegiate career.
When the Browns selected York in the fourth round of April’s draft, they couldn’t have known that the modest investment would pay such hefty dividends so soon. His impressive performance in Week 1 will set him up for a prolific season as Cleveland’s go-to leg in 2022, and with 16 more games on the Browns’ arduous schedule, the team will need all the help York can give them.
Steady improvement would usually be necessary for a young player of York’s caliber to become a consistent starter, but in this case, he will just need to maintain and prove that this outstanding showing wasn’t a fluke.
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