Dan Connolly wins AFC special teams player of week award

Posted by Mike Florio on December 22, 2010, 10:01 AM EST

For his record-setting 71-yard kickoff return on Sunday night against the Packers, during which he looked a little like a Bumpus hound making off with Christmas turkey, Patriots guard Dan Connolly has been named the AFC special teams player of the week.

The effort topped by 23 yards the prior record for a kick return by an offensive lineman, which had been set in 1969 by Mal Snider of the Falcons.

Connolly is the first offensive lineman to win the award since Langston Walker of the Raiders, who blocked a field goal in Week 12 of the 2004 season.

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35 responses to “Dan Connolly wins AFC special teams player of week award”

  1. Did any Eagles/DeSean Jackson fans notice a complete lack of showboating on Connelly’s part? Dude ran and ran and ran his a$$ off until someone finally tackled him at the two.

    THAT’S how it’s done, Jackson.

  4. NFL record longest run for an O lineman!!!!
    Yeah!!! Maybe the most exciting thing I’ve ever saw! Big Props to Dan!!!

  5. Well, it killed my team in that game, swung momentum and possibly cost them the playoffs this year… but ya still gotta love the big men running down the field like that. Props to Connolly.

  6. richm2256 says:

    Did any Eagles/DeSean Jackson fans notice a complete lack of showboating on Connelly’s part? Dude ran and ran and ran his a$$ off until someone finally tackled him at the two.

    THAT’S how it’s done, Jackson.
    ————————————————

    Jackson ran and ran and ran his arse off, got to the goal line and still, no one was even close… So he ran his arse off some more, down the goal line to kill the clock, and then scored, winning the game and not getting tackled in the process.

    That’s how it’s done, pal.

  7. richm,

    The only reason he didn’t showboat was because he was gassed. Hadn’t run that far since the combines, I’ll bet. Besides – he didn’t score a TD, so what’s to celebrate anyway?

    Why don’t all you Giants fans take the day off, have a HUGE crying jag, eat a box of bon-bons while watching soap operas, get it all out of your systems, and come back to PFT when you’re ready to behave like men again. Sheesh!

  8. “he looked a little like a Bumpus hound making off with Christmas turkey”
    ROFLMAO – that is one of the funniest things I’ve ever read! Great one!

  9. I gotta agree with richm2256, I hate the showboating. Every time you see a linebacker make a gesture after getting a tackle, well that’s what you do. Every time you see a wide receiver make a catch, or even get a touchdown? That is what you do. When you see someone go above and beyond their usual role and pull of something amazing, and they still don’t make a big deal of it? That’s class.

    Oh wait, he’s a Patriot. They probably stole a map that had the route that every opposing player would take for every play!

  10. @jaysondecandia,
    Brad Smith only plays on one special teams unit, Connolly plays on (I think) three in addition to being a three down offensive lineman. Not to mention it is just much more impressive when a guy that big who gets no practice carrying the ball is able to pull it off.

  11. richm2256 says:
    Dec 22, 2010 10:06 AM
    Did any Eagles/DeSean Jackson fans notice a complete lack of showboating on Connelly’s part? Dude ran and ran and ran his a$$ off until someone finally tackled him at the two.

    THAT’S how it’s done, Jackson.

    —————————————

    Rich..Rich..Rich…

    You do NOT wear jealousy well..

    Wow!! Maybe the eagles need Connoly back there to return kicks from now on…He’s so..
    um….classy. Nah…we hate classy football players in Philly, thats right..

    Rich..you whine like a beeeyotch.

  15. So weak, the guy didn’t even score a TD. Good run for a fatboy but he didn’t get to the endzone. Desean Jackson ran back a game winner in a division deciding game. And LB Tyjaun Hagler for the Colts picked up a onside kick and ran for 50 yds for basically a game sealing TD in another division deciding game.

    Kraft must have paid somebody for this award.

  16. Who makes these selections? I’m a Pats fan. So I guess this should even things out for Payton Manning getting the offensive player of the week award a couple of weeks ago even though Tom Brady threw 4 TD passes, in a snow storm, on the road, against a very good Bears defense.

    But, if I’m an Eagles, Bears or Jets fan I think I would have a legitimate beef here. Jackson won the game with his return. Brad Smith pretty much won the game with his return. And Devin Hester broke the all time return TD mark with his return.

    That was a great description of how he was holding the ball. Very funny.

  17. Did any Eagles/DeSean Jackson fans notice a complete lack of showboating on Connelly’s part? Dude ran and ran and ran his a$$ off until someone finally tackled him at the two.

    THAT’S how it’s done, Jackson

    HAHAHAHA! yeah I guess D Jacks will take kick return pointers from Connelly. Then maybe he’ll get tackled at the 5 instead of winning the game with a touchdown. D Jacks showed you EXACTLY how its done. E A G L E S!

  18. In reply to the complaints that the award didn’t go to Jackson or Hester:

    Note this was **** AFC **** special teams player of the week. Last time I checked, neither the Chicago Bears nor the Philadelphia Eagles play in the AFC.

  19. Why should DeSean Jackson or Devin Hester be the recipients of the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week award…?!?

    That said, this is an overreaction and Connolly doesn’t deserve this. Brad Smith, yo.

  20. Good grief, reading comprehension, anyone? “AFC” special teams player of the week. DeSean Jackson and Hester are in the NFC. Hence, the reason they were not selected “AFC” special teams player of the week. Capisce?

  21. They gave it to him for the moves he put on the last couple of defenders before he was tackled.

    Didn’t Alan Page make a long run – the wrong way?

  22. I loved that play, even though I was rooting for that Packers. Just one of those plays that makes you smile.

    But if I were giving out the award, it would have gone to the Jets’ punter. Apologies for not knowing his name, but if I had to single out one player most responsible for their victory over Pittsburgh, he’d be the one. Brilliant game. Pinned us back all night, and was more responsible for the safety than Jason Taylor. If not for that safety, we could have kicked a field goal and sent the game into overtime. Spectacular special teams work by the Jets all the way around.

  23. It is so funny how all the Eagles’ fans are b*Ching about the lack of a TD. Let’s put it in perspective:

    Connolly: No lineman had ever run a return that far EVER…by 23 yards, bettering the record by 48%.

    Jackson: Virtually every week there is a punt returned for a TD. Hell, he is great, but Hester has 3 this year. There have been 10 punts returned for a TD this year, and another 21 kickoffs returned for TDs. Yeah, that is rare.

    And Connolly DID help his team win since it set up 7 points a few plays later.

  24. When will you stop complaining/bragging about every F’n thing?! I’m sure that you have much larger issues to address in your personal lives. First and foremost is probably living in phillidelphia.

  25. Tell me how the Packer’s Special Team coach (Slocum) keeps his job this week after this?

    He must have pixs of McCarthy in a dog collar or something.

  26. Finally, someone figured it out & saw it was AFC not NFC player award……
    Brad smith did a great thing on Special Teams but it was an easy play….Connolly, even though he didn’t score made an awesome play that resulted in a game momentum swing & touchdown shortly after….also set a record in the process…yeah, I’m a Patriots fan but I believe this one was called correctly….

  27. @benh999
    Connoley’s play was nice however smith scored an set the tone for the game. He also plays on all aspects of special teams (kr, ko, pr, and p) not to mention his plays on offense.

    Not reported much he also became one of the few in NFL history to score a td passing, rushing, receiving, kick and punt returning.

    Connelly can have stpow, smith needs to make pro bowl!

  29. I am really tired of people with their “cheating” comments with the Patriots. God, it was 4 years ago and since then the Pats have a better winning % then they did while all this was happening…

    Dan’s play setup a TD – It gave Pats a huge boost of momentum…Thats more important then some guy who returns kicks for living scoring a TD…

    Here’s some Facts for you:

    Bill is one of the best coaches in NFL History.
    Brady is one of the best QBs in NFL History.
    The Pats are about to clinch the AFC.
    Your team sucks balls.

    thanks.

  31. @belichickee …

    There you are again. If they gave an award for best screen name on the board, you would have to make the top five. Love that name! LOL

  32. But… I’m the only one who made any cheating comments… and I thought it was pretty obvious I was being sarcastic…

  33. canesfan1 says:
    Dec 22, 2010 10:43 AM
    Um, what about Devon Hester? Two huge returns, one for TD to set NFL alltime record!!!
    ********************

    Is he in the AFC, brainiac?

  34. richm2256 says:
    Dec 22, 2010 10:06 AM
    Did any Eagles/DeSean Jackson fans notice a complete lack of showboating on Connelly’s part? Dude ran and ran and ran his a$$ off until someone finally tackled him at the two.

    THAT’S how it’s done, Jackson.
    ****************

    Is DeSean Jackson in the AFC, genius?

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