Tag: special teams player of the week

Cowboys’ Brandon Aubrey wins NFC Special Teams Player of the Week again

From @ToddBrock24f7: Aubrey connected on 4 field goals of 45+ yards Sunday night and became the first player ever to kick two of 59 yards or more in one game.

Brandon Aubrey has done it again.

Actually, he’s done it 30 times in a row now. But for the four long-distance field goals he put through the uprights in Sunday in the Cowboys’ impressive 33-13 win over Philadelphia, the rookie kicker has been named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for the second time this season.

Week 14 saw Aubrey become the first player in league history to boot two field goals of 59 yards or beyond in the same game with a 60-yarder in the first quarter and a 59-yarder in the third. He followed those bombs with two relatively shorter ones- from only 45 and 50- in addition to three PATs on the night.

Aubrey has now made all 30 of his field goal tries this season, extending the record he himself set in Week 8 for most consecutive field goals to start an NFL career. He won the NFC’s weekly award for that performance as well.

The 28-year-old former soccer star is proving himself to be not only exceptionally accurate but also extraordinary from long distances; he now already eight field goals of 50 or more yards in just 13 games as a pro.

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After Sunday’s win, in which he buried even his 60-yard field goal into the net with more than enough leg, he was asked if he could connect from, say, 70 yards.

“I can, absolutely,” he said.

At this point in Aubrey’s unlikely but award-winning season, that unthinkable number doesn’t seem the least bit outrageous.

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Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week

From @ToddBrock24f7: Aubrey is the first Cowboy to win the weekly award since Brett Maher, the man he replaced. Maher won it in 2019 and twice in 2018.

It’s been quite the turnaround at the kicker position for the Dallas Cowboys.

After veteran Brett Maher shanked a league-record four PATs in one game- a playoff appearance, no less- in January, it was apparent the team would move on. And while most fans spent the offseason eyeballing seasoned free agents like Mason Crosby, Robbie Gould, and Ryan Succop, the Cowboys settled on NFL newcomer Brandon Aubrey.

It turned out to be a stroke of genius; Aubrey was just named the NFC’s Special Teams Player of the Week for Sunday’s performance versus the Rams.

Aubrey went 5-for-5 on extra points and hit both of his field goal tries, including a booming 58-yarder during Dallas’s 43-20 home trouncing of Los Angeles. It was the rookie’s longest field goal of the season. His 18 consecutive three-pointers to start an NFL career ties a league record.

The onetime Notre Dame soccer star looked to be on his way to an MLS career after being a first-round draft pick for Toronto FC in 2017. But his soccer dreams had been completely derailed by 2018, and Aubrey became a software engineer.

It was only in 2019, when his wife encouraged him to try kicking an oblong ball instead, that Aubrey turned his attention from futbol to football. He went on to win back-to-back championships with the USFL’s Birmingham Stallions and was invited to camp with the Cowboys in July, where he beat out Tristan Vizcaino for the starting job.

Aubrey missed his very first NFL kick, an extra point attempt versus the Giants on opening night, but he’s been perfect since then, with the Cowboys coaching staff raving about his cannon of a leg, his effortless stroke, and his quiet confidence.

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Quarterback Dak Prescott even revealed that he’s nicknamed Aubrey “Butter” because he is so smooth.

And with this award, as special teams coordinator John Fassel joked upon first hearing the nickname, yes, Aubrey definitely appears to be on a roll.

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Packers KR Keisean Nixon named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for Week 17 in 2022

Keisean Nixon’s 105-yard kickoff return touchdown earned him NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors for Week 17 of the 2022 season.

He played only three snaps during Sunday’s 41-17 win over the Minnesota Vikings, but Green Bay Packers kickoff returner Keisean Nixon did more than enough to earn his first league-wide weekly honor.

Nixon, who returned a kickoff 105 yards for a touchdown, was named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for Week 17 of the 2022 season.

Nixon’s kickoff return was the longest in the NFL this season, and he is now the league leader in kickoff return yards and kickoff return average in 2022. Over the last seven games, Nixon has six games with 100 or more return yards.

Nixon’s kickoff return touchdown was the franchise’s first since 2011 and the third-longest in team history. It was also the longest kickoff return in the NFL since the 2017 season (Alvin Kamara, 106).

Punter Pat O’Donnell was the last Packer to win the award. He was named Special Teams Player of the Week in the NFC in Week 3.

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Dave Toub addresses Tommy Townsend’s selection as AFC Special Teams Player of the Week, Pro Bowl punter

Dave Toub spoke about a certain quality in #Chiefs P Tommy Townsend’s game that saw him recognized for both AFC Player of the Week, Pro Bowl honors. | from @TheJohnDillon

The Kansas City Chiefs special teams unit has been guided by the watchful eye of coordinator Dave Toub.

Under his tutelage, third-year P Tommy Townsend was named the AFC’s Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance against the Texans. It was his third career Player of the Week award, extending his streak of the most by a Chiefs punter. The veteran coach had plenty to say about Townsend in comments to the media on Wednesday.

Asked which of Townsend’s qualities gives the Chiefs the biggest edge on special teams, Toub told reporters that it boiled down to just one thing.

“Consistency,” Toub said. “I mean when I first stood up here in the beginning of the season everybody said, ‘What’s going to be the difference with Tommy this year?’ It’s his consistency because we’ve seen flashes of him being great, but his consistency is what really stands out this year.

“You look at his charts and his grades that I have on my board and it’s just above average all the way across (the board) and you know if not that, he’s getting (AFC) Special Teams Player of the Week which is probably the greatest honor somebody can get and he’s gotten it for the month too with September (AFC Special Teams Player of the Month) so it says a lot about his year. He’s had a Pro Bowl year, and he’s been a major factor for us on special teams this year.”

Toub’s quote on Townsend would end up being a hint of things to come later in the day, as the punter was named as the AFC’s Pro Bowl Games representative at his position on Wednesday night. A worthy selection, Townsend has had an absolutely marvelous season for Kansas City in 2022 and looks to be settling into his role as longtime Chiefs punter Dustin Colquitt’s permanent replacement following his departure from the team in 2019.

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Chiefs P Tommy Townsend named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week

#Chiefs P Tommy Townsend earned his third career AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honor in Week 15.

Kansas City Chiefs P Tommy Townsend has been named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for Week 15.

This marked the third-career Special Teams Player of the Week award for Townsend, who has now won weekly awards in each of his first three NFL seasons. He won in Week 15 as a rookie in 2020 and won again in Week 9 last season.

Despite some controversy surrounding his job as the holder for Harrison Butker, Townsend maintained his dominance as a punter in Week 15. He had four punts during the overtime win over the Houston Texans with two inside the 20-yard line and a net average of 42.5 yards. Houston’s average starting field position following Townsend’s punts on Sunday was the 17.5-yard line, good for the best mark in the AFC conference in Week 15.

Last season, Townsend became the first punter for Kansas City to win an AFC Player of the Week honor twice. He now extends that record with his third career win. He also tied with kicker Bengals K Evan McPherson for the most Special Teams Player of the Week awards by a former Florida Gator. McPherson was named Special Teams Player of the Week back in Week 4.

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Ryan Wright wins NFC Special Teams Player of the Week

The Vikings punter got recognized for his excellent play on Sunday

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The Minnesota Vikings had some impressive individual performances on Sunday against the Miami Dolphins but arguably none of them were more impressive than rookie punter Ryan Wright. The NFL agreed and awarded him NFC Special Teams Player of the Week.

Wright was impressive on Sunday as he became the second punter since 2016 to punt 10 times with his tea getting the victory. The other was Denver Broncos punter Corliss Waltman in week three against the Las Vegas Raiders.

Over his 10 punts, Wright averaged 44.1 yards per punt and nailed six of them inside the 20. His most impressive kick came early in the game when the Vikings were pinned at the six yard line. Wright kicked the ball over 80 yards in the air for an official long of 73 yards.

It’s not the best thing in the world to have a Vikings’ best player in a game be the punter, but it’s also great to see the purple and gold have a player that can flip the field.

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Greg Joseph named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week

The Vikings kicker had a great game on Sunday

In defeating the New Orleans Saints 28-25 on Sunday, the Minnesota Vikings kicker Greg Joseph had himself a performance worthy of being the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week.

Joseph has been the catalyst for success at times for the Minnesota Vikings. With the offense being inconsistent, he has been a beacon of stability.

Joseph has made 8/10 field goals including an astounding 5/5 on Sunday against the New Orleans Saints. He also tied a team record kicking a 56-yard field goal against the Green Bay Packers in week one.

During his time with the Vikings, Joseph has made 41/48 field goals and 44/49 extra points.

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P Michael Palardy is the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for Week 13

This is the punter’s first time achieving this feat.

For the second time this year, the Miami Dolphins have a player that’s earned a Player of the Week honor, as punter Michael Palardy was named the AFC’s Special Teams Player of the Week for Week 13.

In the win over the New York Giants, Palardy punted six times, averaging 48.33 yards per attempt. He also set a new career-long with a 65-yard punt to pin the Giants back at their own 15.

Coming off of a torn ACL that forced him to miss the entire 2020 season, Palardy struggled a bit early in the year but has really stepped up along with his teammates during this winning streak. On the season, the 29-year-old is third in the league in punts downed inside the 20.

Palardy joins Xavien Howard as the only Dolphins to be named Player of the Week in the 2021 season.

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Falcons P Thomas Morstead wins NFC Special Teams Player of the Week

Mostead, 35, had an outstanding game, pinning three of his five punts inside Jaguars’ 20-yard line.

The Atlanta Falcons have had somewhat of a revolving door at the punter position this season. Every time it seems like somebody has the job locked down, something happens. Heading into Week 12, Dustin Colquitt was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list. To replace him, the Falcons signed former Saints punter Thomas Morstead ahead of Sunday’s game against the Jaguars.

Mostead, 35, had an outstanding game, pinning three of his five punts inside Jaguars’ 20-yard line. His performance was enough to earn the NFC’s Special Teams Player of the Week award.

Morstead was thought to be a temporary solution, and while Dustin Colquitt has played well this season, you have to wonder if the Falcons will opt to keep Morstead instead.

Head coach Artur Smith provided some injury updates on Wednesday, saying Deion Jones will test out his shoulder today when practice resumes.

Running back Qadree Ollison has returned but the team will evaluate both cornerback Kendall Sheffield and defensive lineman Jonathan Bullard today after both missed last week’s game in Jacksonville. 

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Tress Way’s 4th Player of the Week award puts him in elite Washington company

Tress Way is well on his way to another Pro Bowl nomination, and his 4th Player of the Week award puts him in a tier with Washington greats.

Early on Wednesday morning, the NFL announced that Washington’s Pro-Bowl punter Tress Way was being honored with the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week award after his performance against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday. It is the second time that Way has earned the award this season, and the second straight week that a Washington player has held onto the honor, with K Dustin Hopkins being named the POW a week ago.

With 8 total punts traveling an average of 48 yards downfield, Way absolutely is deserving of the award, as he singlehandedly played a huge part in the defense’s success by flipping the field constantly after the offense struggled through the day. Now, with his 4th career POW award, Way has entered some absolute elite company in Washington history.

Art Monk, Darrell Green, Mark Rypien, Kirk Cousins, and now Tress Way. People don’t often think of a punter as being that important to a team’s success, but anyone who knows Washington football will tell you that Way is easily one of the team’s best players, even if he doesn’t get the credit that he deserves for it. According to coach Ron Rivera, his value to the team is immeasurable, and he should be well on his way to another Pro Bowl nomination.

If Way continues to put on performances like he did this past week, then his nomination shouldn’t even be a question.

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