HOUSTON – Houston Texans P Tommy Townsend has been named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week, the NFL announced today.
Townsend pinned the Chargers inside the 20-yard line on four of his five punts in Houston's 20-16 victory in Week 17. Two of Townsend's five punts were downed inside the 10-yard line, including a punt that was downed at the 2-yard line by CB Ja'Marcus Ingram. In addition, Townsend served as the holder on two successful field goals from K Ka'imi Fairbairn and two successful extra points.
On the year, Townsend has pinned 28 punts inside opponents' 20-yard line, tied for fourth in the NFL and third in the AFC. He's punted 69 times and recorded a 41.9 net punting average. Since signing with the Texans in 2024, Townsend has placed 67 punts inside the 20, the most of any player in the NFL, while serving as the team's primary holder on field goals and extra points.
This marks Townsend's fourth career AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honor and his first since Week 15 of the 2022 season. With CB Derek Stingley Jr. winning the award in Week 16, it marks the first time since 2024 when K Ka'imi Fairbairn (Week 5) and DE Will Anderson Jr. (Week 6) won in back-to-back weeks that Texans players earned the honor two weeks in a row. Townsend is the first Houston punter to win the award since P Shane Lechler did so in Week 8 in 2016.
