Rookie WR Jacoby Ford returned the opening kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown on December 26, 2010 against the Indianapolis Colts. Photo by Tony Gonzales.
Oakland Raiders rookie WR Jacoby Ford has been named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for Week 16. Ford returned the opening kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown during the Raiders game against the Indianapolis Colts on December 26, 2010.
Ford returned five kickoffs for 188 yards against the Colts including the electrifying race to the end zone to start the game.
The fourth round selection out of Clemson set a new Raiders single-season franchise record with his third kickoff return for a touchdown. His 101-yarder against Miami is the third longest, and the 99-yarder is the fourth longest in Raiders history. His 94-yard kickoff return to open the second half jump-started the Silver and Black's 23-20 overtime victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 9.
Ford is the first player in Raiders history to return three kickoffs for touchdowns in a season, the Raiders as a team have returned three kickoffs for touchdowns in one season for the first time in franchise history. Ford also now has more career kickoff returns for touchdowns than any other player in Raiders history (Justin Miller and Terry Kirby each have 2).
He was named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Month for November, AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for Week 9, Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week for Week 9, and AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for Week 9. Also in Week 9, Ford became just the second player in NFL history to have at least 140 receiving yards and 150 kick return yards in a game during the Raiders 23-20 OT win over Kansas City.
