Vikings punter Ryan Wright has been named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week, the NFL announced today.
In the Week 6 victory against the Dolphins, Wright punted 10 times for 441 yards for a gross average of 44.1 and a net average of 43.9. With six minutes remaining in the first quarter, Wright booted a career long 73-yard punt, marking the seventh longest punt in franchise history and tied for the third longest in the NFL this season. His 441 punt yards in a single game is the third-most in team history. Wright also placed six of his punts inside the 20, the most of any punter in the NFL this week and the most by a Viking since 2000.
Through the first six weeks of the season, Wright has recorded 27 punts for 1,216 yards, a gross average of 45.0, a net average of 43.1 and 15 punts inside the 20. His 15 punts inside the 20 is tied for the most in the league this season.
Wright is the third punter in franchise history to win NFC Special Teams Player of the Week and the first to do so since P Chris Kluwe won the award in 2010. This will also mark the sixth time a Vikings punter has won NFC Special Teams Player of the Week. Wright is the second player to win NFC Player of the Week honors under Vikings Head Coach Kevin O’Connell, joining K Greg Joseph who won the award in Week 4.
(info and photo courtesy of Vikings)