 |
| Marc Mariani returns a punt 87 yards for a TD last Sunday against Washington at LP Field. |
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Titans return specialist Marc Mariani was named AFC Special Teams Player
of the Week for his performance against the Washington Redskins in Week 11.
The rookie seventh round pick gave the Titans an early 7-0 lead with an 87-yard punt return for a touchdown in the first quarter. It was his second career touchdown after returning a kickoff 98 yards for a score against the Denver Broncos in Week 3.
Mariani, who leads the NFL with a 17.1 punt return avg. and ranks third in the AFC with 26.3-yard kickoff return avg., recorded the second-longest punt return for a touchdown in franchise history, equaling Billy Johnson's 87-yarder against Cleveland on Oct. 16, 1977.
Mariani also became the second Titans/Oilers player to record a punt return touchdown and kickoff return touchdown in the same regular season. Johnson did it in both 1975 and 1977.
This is Mariani's first career AFC Special Teams Player of the Week award and the latest for the Titans since Chris Johnson garnered AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors for his Week 5 performance against the Dallas Cowboys earlier this season.
SPECIAL TEAMS: KR-PR MARC MARIANI, TENNESSEE TITANS
• Mariani totaled 169 return yards, including an 87-yard punt return-touchdown in the Titans' 19-16 overtime loss to Washington.
• His 87-yard punt return-touchdown tied BILLY JOHNSON(October 16, 1977) for the second-longest PR-TD in franchise history. Former Titan ADAM JONESholds the franchise record with a 90-yarder at Philadelphia on November 19, 2006.
• Mariani is the only player in the NFL this season to record a kickoff return-touchdown (98-yard KR-TD vs. Dallas on October 10) and a punt return-touchdown.
• Through Week 11, Mariani leads the NFL with a 17.1 punt return average.
• In his rookie season from Montana, this is Mariani's first career Player of the Week Award. He is the first Titan returner to win Special Teams Player of the Week since Week 14 of 2005 (Adam Jones).
Titans return specialist Marc Mariani was named AFC Special Teams Player
of the Week for his performance against the Washington Redskins in Week 11.
