Los Angeles Chargers defensive back/punt returner Desmond King was named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week, the National Football League office announced on Wednesday. The weekly accolade is the second on the season for the second-year player out of Iowa as he earned AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors on November 7.
King helped ignite the comeback for the Chargers against the Steelers as his 73-yard punt return led to tying the score to erase a 16-point deficit. The punt return touchdown was the first of his career. On top of his game-changing special team touchdown, King registered 10 tackles and two passes defensed in the secondary.
The Detroit, Mich., native ranks second in the NFL with a 15.0 punt return average. That number currently ranks second all-time in a single season in franchise history (15 or more returns) to Speedy Duncan, who averaged 15.5 yards per return in 1965. King became the first player in NFL history since at least 1970 to record at least four sacks, multiple pick-sixes and a punt return for a touchdown in the first two seasons of his career. He also has recorded three interceptions and one for a score on top of 43 combined tackles this season.
