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Chicago Bears rookie punter Tory Taylor wins NFC Special Teams Player of the Week

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Updated  October 2, 2024 5:17pm CDT
Bears
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For the first time since 2009, a Chicago Bears rookie won Special Teams Player of the Week award.

Bears rookie punter Tory Taylor, after flipping the field multiple times last Sunday in a 24-18 win over the Los Angeles Rams, was named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week on Wednesday.

Taylor is the first Bears rookie to win the honor since Johnny Knox earned it in 2009. Taylor is the first Bears' punter to earn the honor since Brad Maynard in 2007.

Against the Rams, Taylor punted the ball five times and averaged 55.4 yards per punt. He had a net average of 48.0 yards per punt. 

Three of his five punts landed inside the Rams' 10-yard line, which was the most of any punter in Week 4.

"I see it every day. I see it every week," Bears head coach Matt Eberflus said on Sunday. "He's got a couple different sand wedges, I think. So he's pretty good."

Through Week 4 of the NFL season, Taylor ranks in the top-five in the league in total punts landed inside of the opponent’s 20-yard line. 

Nine of his punts were downed inside of the 20, which ranks the most by any Bears punter through their first four career games since at least the 1970 NFL-AFL Merget. 

It's also the most among all rookies in the NFL through the first four weeks. 

"Great punt and pin," Eberflus said. "The punter was great today. Tory was awesome, switching the field several times, using them as a weapon. He was excellent too."