Only four games into his Arizona Cardinals career, kicker Chad Ryland has been named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Month for October.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Ryland went 8-of-9 on field goals, 6-of-6 on extra points and notably drilled three game-winning field goals in the month.
Naturally, it had to be CHADDDD!!! pic.twitter.com/ezyBDTb2if
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) October 31, 2024
The Cardinals originally signed the 25-year-old Ryland to the practice squad on Oct. 2. He was then elevated to the active roster for Arizona’s next game as Matt Prater dealt with a left knee injury and hit his first-game winning kick in a 24-23 victory over the San Francisco 49ers on Oct. 5.
Ryland kicked the following week as well to fill in for Prater and was then promoted to the active roster on Oct. 15 when Prater was placed on injured reserve with his injury.
Ryland’s career has taken a big turn for the better now after he was drafted in the fourth round last season by the New England Patriots, but released after just one year after going 16-for-25 on field goals.
“He’s a primetime player,” Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon said of Ryland. “We try to rattle him in practice. He’s got ice water in his veins right now.”
Former Cardinals kicker Zane Gonzalez was sthe last Arizona player to win this award back in 2019. No Cardinals player had won any player of the month award sisnce Budda Baker earned the defensive version in 2020.
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Brendan Mau is a senior writer covering the Phoenix Suns and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @Brendan_Mau
