We assumed it was coming, and today the NFL announced that Arizona Cardinals kicker Chad Ryland was named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance against the Los Angeles Rams in the Cardinals week six victory.
From the team:
This is Ryland’s first career selection as Player of the Week and he becomes the ninth kicker in team history to be selected as the “NFC Special Teams Player of the Week.”
He is the second Cardinals player to earn “NFC Special Teams Player of the Week” honors
this season after Simi Fehoko was selected following the Cardinals Week 1 win at the Chargers. It is the first time since 2015 that the Cardinals have had two different players each named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week (David Johnson, Chandler Catanzaro).
Ryland accounted for all 18 points in Arizona’s 18-16 victory, connecting on all six field goal attempts. His final field goal of the day was a 43-yard game-winner as time expired in regulation. Ryland’s six field goals and 18 total points are both career highs.
Only once in franchise history did a player make more field goals in a game than Ryland did on Sunday (7 by Jim Bakken on 9/24/67 at Pittsburgh). His six field goals in Los Angeles are the most in a single game in the NFL this season and the 43-yarder was his fifth career game-winner.
He became the first NFL player to have 6+ field goals in a game since Houston’s Ka’imi Fairbairn on 1/4/2026 (6 FG) vs. Indianapolis. Ryland is tied for 3rd in the NFL in made FGs (14) and 4th in the NFL in total points (54) in 2026.
Congratulations to Ryland for his incredible performance.
