Pats' Gunner Olszewski Named AFC Special Teams Player Of The Week

New England Patriots wide receiver Gunner Olszewski was recognized for his breakout performance during a Week 13 blowout win against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Olszewski was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week on Wednesday, CBS Boston reports. The second-year pro scored on a 70-yard punt return for a touchdown, the first of his NFL career, and later recorded a 61-yard punt return during the Pats' 45-0 victory.

New England has now had a player win the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week Award three times in 13 weeks this season, with kicker Nick Folk earning recognition twice.

“I mean, I always want to go out there and do something with the ball when I get it. So I think today it just all happened right,” Olszewski said when asked about the touchdown after Sunday's victory via CBS Boston. “The blocking was good, I hit the lane like I was supposed to, like we practiced. And things sometimes fall like that.”

Olszewski is the only Patriots player in franchise history to record two returns exceeding 60 yards in a single game. The former Bemidji State University standout also caught a 38-yard touchdown pass and, living up to his first name, made a special teams tackle on kickoff coverage.

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