MKRob Sports

The NFL informed the Chiefs on Wednesday that RB Jamaal Charles has been named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his efforts in Week 11 of the 2009 NFL regular season. He becomes the first Chiefs player to be named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week since cornerback Maurice Leggett took home the honor in Week 13 of 2008. It is the first time Charles has received a conference player of the week award.

Charles (5-11, 199) started the Chiefs 27-24 OT victory vs. Pittsburgh (11/22) in spectacular fashion when he returned the opening kickoff for a 97-yard touchdown. The score tied as the fifth-longest kickoff return TD in Chiefs history and gave Kansas City a 7-0 lead only 0:16 seconds into the game. He finished the game with a career-high 158 kickoff return yards.

It was the first kickoff return score by the Chiefs since wide receiver Dante Hall had a 96-yard return vs. Philadelphia (10/2/05) and the first time that Kansas City returned the opening kickoff since Hall had a 97-yard TD kickoff return vs. Denver (12/19/04). Charles added 17 rushes for 58 yards and two catches for eight yards with a two-yard TD reception to tie the score at 24-24 in the fourth quarter of the contest.

The University of Texas product has played in nine games with four starts in 2009, rushing 64 times for 313 yards (4.9 avg.) with a TD and catching 23 passes for 161 yards (7.0 avg.) with a TD. Charles also has 31 kickoff returns for 796 yards (25.7 avg.) with a TD and three special teams tackles.