The NFL has rewarded Stephen Gostkowski for his impressive showing Sunday night, selecting the New England Patriots kicker as the AFC’s Special Teams Player of the Week for Week 1.
Gostkowski went 3-for-3 on field-goal attempts in New England’s 23-21 win over the Arizona Cardinals, hitting from 47, 53 and 32 yards. His 32-yarder, which came with 3:44 remaining in the fourth quarter, proved to be the game-winner.
The 2015 All-Pro also excelled on kickoffs, forcing the Cardinals to begin three drives from inside their own 20-yard line. Patriots coach Bill Belichick called Gostkowski’s final kickoff, which preceded a missed field-goal try by Arizona kicker Chandler Catanzaro, the most important play of the game.
“Stephen Gostkowski gives us great leadership of the specialists and through his long tenure here and high level of performance,” Belichick said Monday. “He’s a very steadying influence on the group.”
Gostowski has drilled 93.2 percent of his field-goal attempts since the start of the 2013 season, the best mark in the league over that span (excluding rookies).
Thumbnail photo via Jim O’Connor/USA TODAY Sports Images
