Carolina Panthers wide receiver Damiere Byrd has been named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week after his dynamic performance last Sunday that included an electrifying 103-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the second quarter of Carolina’s thrilling 22-19 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
According to Bryan Strickland of Panthers.com, this is the first time a Panthers player has been honored as the Special Teams Player of the Week since Kealoha Pilares back in 2011.
The return was the longest play in the NFL this season and the longest kickoff return in franchise history. It surpassed a 101-yard return by Kealoha Pilares in 2011, a play that earned Pilares the conference's weekly honor back then. That marked the last time a Panther had been named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week before Byrd was honored.
It’s a bittersweet moment for Byrd, who was placed on injured reserve yesterday after suffering a lower leg injury after returning the opening kickoff of the second half of the Panthers’ win over the Buccaneers.