New York Giants wide receiver Gunner Olszewski has been named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 17.
With just over 3:00 remaining in the game and the Giants trailing 26-19, Olszewski fielded an Ethan Evans punt and returned it 94 yards for the score. It was the longest punt return of the entire NFL season and the longest since December 12, 2021 (Jakeem Grant).
The return also etched Olszewski’s name in the Giants’ history books as it was the longest punt return for the team in 95 years and the second-longest of all-time (Al Youngblood, 95 yards in 1928).
Olszewski’s punt return for a touchdown was the Giants’ first since December 6, 2015 (Dwayne Harris).
“We got some good blocks on their gunners and then Gunner got into that mix, did a great job of really securing the football. Two hands on it, spun out of it and kind of reset where he was going, and we had a whole wall in front of him, but it starts with blocking the gunners and the ball security because he got into that mix and spun out and had a good finish,” head coach Brian Daboll said earlier this week.
The long return glossed over what was a less-than-stellar game for Olszewski. He had previously allowed a punt to sail over his head and fielded another just shy of the goal line.
Olszewski finished the game with four punt returns for 108 yards and the one touchdowns.
