Saints punter Blake Gillikin named NFC Special Teams Player of the Month

It was announced Thursday morning by the NFL that New Orleans Saints P Blake Gillikin has been selected as October’s NFC Special Teams Player of the Month.

Gillikin, 6-2, 196, was originally signed by New Orleans as a free agent following the 2020 NFL Draft out of Penn State. After spending his rookie year on Injured Reserve, the Atlanta, Ga. native has enjoyed an impressive sophomore campaign in his NFL playing debut. Gillikin has punted 30 times for 1,489 yards for a 49.6 gross punting average and a 44.3 net punting average, ranked third in the league with 12 punts inside-the-20 yard line.

In the month of October when New Orleans won their last three games of the month, Gillikin punted 17 times for 843 yards with a 45.5 net punting average, ranked second in the NFL over that time. Gillikin’s ten punts inside the 20-yard line were tied for third in the league over the entire month. On October 10 at Washington, Gillikin had three punts downed inside the three-yard line, as he became the first punter since at least 2000 to have three punts of 53-plus yards downed inside the three-yard line.

Gillikin is only the second Saints punter to win the award since it was established in 1986, joining Thomas Morstead (September, 2019) and the ninth Saints overall to capture it.

RAMS WR COOPER KUPP, PACKERS LB DE’VONDRE CAMPBELL & SAINTS P BLAKE GILLIKIN NAMED NFC PLAYERS OF THE MONTH
FOR OCTOBER

Wide receiver COOPER KUPP of the Los Angeles Rams, linebacker DE’VONDRE CAMPBELL of the Green Bay Packers and punter BLAKE GILLIKIN of the New Orleans Saints are the NFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Month for the month of October (Weeks 4-8).

OFFENSE: WR COOPER KUPP, LOS ANGELES RAMS
• Since Week 4, Kupp ranks second in the league with 38 receptions and 557 receiving yards (111.4 per game) and tied for third with five receiving touchdowns to help the Rams to a 4-1 record during the month of October.
• He is the only player in the league with at least 100 receiving yards and a touchdown reception in three games during the month of October.
• Kupp wins Offensive Player of the Month for the second consecutive month, joining running backs Todd Gurley (2017) and Pro Football Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk (2000 and 2001), as the only other Rams to earn multiple Offensive Player of the Month awards in a single season.
• Kupp becomes the first Rams wide receiver to earn the honor twice.

DEFENSE: LB DE’VONDRE CAMPBELL, GREEN BAY PACKERS
• In five games, Campbell recorded 45 tackles, three tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, two passes defensed, one interception and one sack during the month of October.
• He is the only player in the league with at least 45 tackles, two forced fumbles and one interception since Week 4.
• This is the first Defensive Player of the Month award for Campbell and the first for the Packers since linebacker Clay Matthews (September, 2010).
• Campbell joins linebacker Karl Mecklenburg (November, 1989) as the only former Minnesota players to win Defensive Player of the Month.

SPECIAL TEAMS: P BLAKE GILLIKIN, NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
• Gillikin averaged 49.6 yards on 17 punts (45.5 net), with a league-high five being placed inside the 10-yard line and four being placed inside the 5-yard line.
• This is the first Special Teams Player of the Month for Gillikin and he becomes the first Saints punter to ever earn the honor.
• He also becomes the first former Nittany Lion punter to win Special Teams Player of the Month.

COLTS RB JONATHAN TAYLOR, TITANS S KEVIN BYARD & BILLS K TYLER BASS NAMED AFC PLAYERS OF THE MONTH FOR OCTOBER
Running back JONATHAN TAYLOR of the Indianapolis Colts, safety KEVIN BYARD of the Tennessee Titans and kicker TYLER BASS of the Buffalo Bills are the AFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Month for the month of October (Weeks 4-8).

OFFENSE: RB JONATHAN TAYLOR, INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
• Taylor rushed for 478 yards on 79 carries (6.1 average) with six touchdowns and added 13 receptions for 195 yards and one receiving touchdown in five games during the month of October. His 673 scrimmage yards are the most in the NFL since Week 4.
• This is the first Offensive Player of the Month award for Taylor and he joins Pro Football Hall of Famers Edgerrin James (three-time winner) and Eric Dickerson (December, 1988) as the only Colts running backs to earn the honor.
• Taylor joins quarterback Russell Wilson (September, 2020) as the only former Wisconsin players to win Offensive Player of the Month.

DEFENSE: S KEVIN BYARD, TENNESSEE TITANS
• Byard totaled 27 tackles, seven passes defensed, three interceptions, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery touchdown in five games during October. He was the only player to record three interceptions and a defensive touchdown over the last month.
• This is the first Defensive Player of the Month award for Byard as well as the first for a Middle Tennessee State player.
• Byard is the fifth player in franchise history to earn the honor and first since Michael Griffin (October, 2010).

SPECIAL TEAMS: K TYLER BASS, BUFFALO BILLS
• Bass connected on all 10 of his field goal attempts and all 13 on his extra point attempts for a total of 43 points in four games during October.
• This is the first Special Teams Player of the Month award for Bass and he becomes the first Bills player to earn the award since punter Brian Moorman (November, 2006).
• Bass in the third player to earn the honor from Georgia Southern, joining Rob Bironas (October, 2007) and Younghoe Koo (November, 2020).

STEELERS RB NAJEE HARRIS & CHIEFS LB NICK BOLTON NAMED NFL ROOKIES OF THE MONTH FOR OCTOBER

Running back NAJEE HARRIS of the Pittsburgh Steelers and linebacker NICK BOLTON of the Kansas City Chiefs are the NFL Offensive and Defensive Rookies of the Month for the month of October.

OFFENSE: RB NAJEE HARRIS, PITTSBURGH STEELERS
• Harris recorded at least 90 scrimmage yards and a touchdown in each of his four games in October and totaled 356 rushing yards on 88 attempts (4.1 average) and had 17 receptions for 124 receiving yards for a total of 480 scrimmage yards (120 per game). He also totaled four touchdowns (three rushing, one receiving).
• His four touchdowns and 120 scrimmage yards per game are both the most among all rookies since Week 4.
• Harris joins tight end Heath Miller (October, 2005) and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (October, 2004) as the only Steelers to win Offensive Rookie of the Month.
• He becomes the third different former Alabama running back to earn the honor, joining Josh Jacobs (October and November, 2019) and Eddie Lacy (October, 2013).

DEFENSE: LB NICK BOLTON, KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
• Bolton totaled 43 tackles (8.6 per game) and seven tackles for loss in five games in October, both the most by any rookie since Week 4.
• He joins cornerback Marcus Peters (December, 2015) and safety Eric Berry (December, 2010) as the only Chiefs to win Defensive Rookie of the Month.
• Bolton becomes the third former Missouri player to earn the honor, joining defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson (November, 2013) and linebacker Aldon Smith (October and December, 2011).