Tommy Townsend named AFC’s special teams player of the week for Week 15

The NFL has named Kansas City Chiefs punter Tommy Townsend as its AFC special teams player of the week for Week 15.

The 24-year-old Townsend punted six times in the Chiefs’ 32-29 win over the New Orleans Saints, including three punts inside the 20-yard line. Townsend’s longest in the game — a 61-yarder — was followed a few plays later by cornerback L’Jarius Sneed’s interception.

This is the rookie punter’s first weekly award win since signing with the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent. A Chiefs punter last won the award when Dustin Colquitt was named special teams player of the week back in Week 11 of 2015. Of Townsend’s 46 punts on the season, 17 have landed inside the 20-yard line.

In the other AFC awards, Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen won offensive player of the week and Indianapolis Colts defensive tackle DeForest Buckner won defensive player of the week.