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NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Titans wide receiver Marc Mariani has been named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week after returning a punt 79 yards for a touchdown in Tennessee's 30-3 victory at Carolina on Sunday.
It marks the second time Mariani has been recognized for the award. He earned the honor last year after he returned a punt 87 yards for a touchdown against the Washington Redskins on Nov. 21, 2010.
Mariani, a seventh-round draft pick in 2010, was named to the Pro Bowl as a return specialist his rookie season when he finished second in the AFC and fourth in the NFL with a 12.2-yard punt return avg., while finishing fourth in the AFC with 25.5-yard kickoff return avg.
He set the franchise record for the most total return yards on punts and kickoffs in franchise history with 1,859 yards. His 2010 total exceeded Derrick Mason's previous record of 1,794 yards in 2000.
Along with his punt return for a TD vs. Washington, Mariani returned a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown against Denver in Week 5 of the 2010 season. He became the second Titans/Oilers player to record a punt return touchdown and kickoff return touchdown in the same regular season. Billy Johnson did it in both 1975 and 1977.
