Donovan Peoples-Jones is AFC Special Teams Player of the Week

On Dec 7, 2022

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones (11) flips the ball in the air after scoring a touchdown on a 76-yard punt return during the first half of an NFL football game between the Cleveland Browns and Houston Texans in Houston, Sunday, Dec. 4, 2022,. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)

Donovan Peoples-Jones’ game-changing punt return for a touchdown in last Sunday’s win over the Houston Texans helped earn the Browns receiver AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors from the NFL.

Peoples-Jones’ 76-yard return gave the Browns a 7-5 lead with 3:10 remaining in the second quarter. They would go on to beat the Texans 27-14, their second consecutive win.

The punt return was the Browns’ first to go for a touchdown since Sept. 20, 2015, when Travis Benjamin returned on 78 yards for a score in a win over the Tennessee Titans. It’s also just the second punt return for a touchdown in the NFL this season, joining New England’s Marcus Jones’ 84-yard return with five second remaining to beat the New York Jets on Nov. 20.

The third-year pro out of Michigan averaged 28.7 yards on three returns during the win in Houston. Combined with the previous week’s performance in an overtime win over Tampa Bay, Peoples-Jones is averaging 20.1 yards on eight returns in the two victories.

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones (11) returns a punt for a touchdown during an NFL football game against the Houston Texans on Sunday, December 4, 2022, in Houston. (AP Photo/Matt Patterson)

For the season, Peoples-Jones is averaging 14.8 yards on 13 punt returns. Over his first two seasons, he averaged just 5.7 yards on 30 punt returns.

Peoples-Jones is the second Browns player to receive the weekly special teams award from the league. Cade York earned the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his game-winning 58-yard field goal in the season-opening win at Carolina.