Denver Broncos punter Corliss Waitman was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week on Wednesday, the NFL announced.
Buy Broncos TicketsWaitman, 27, punted 10 times for 476 yards in an 11-10 win over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday Night Football in Week 3. In a game in which field position was crucial, Waitman had a franchise-record six punts downed inside the 20-yard line and two punts downed inside the five-yard line. He also had no touchbacks.
After one of Waitman’s punts pinned the 49ers deep in their own territory, Denver’s defense forced a safety that gave the Broncos two points. That safety ultimately decided the game as Denver went on to win by one point.
So while punting isn’t a flashy job, one could make an argument that Waitman’s leg won the game for the Broncos in Week 3. At the very least, he was a key part of the victory, and the NFL has now recognized that by naming him one of the conference players of the week.
