EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — Rookie Blair Walsh capped off his first NFL regular season by kicking the Minnesota Vikings into the playoffs, and Wednesday he was honored for his work in Sunday’s 37-34 win.
Walsh, who hit a 29-yard game-winning field goal and was 3 of 3 in the game, was named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for Week 17. Walsh also added his 10th field goal of 50 yards or more this season on Sunday, hitting a 54-yarder to open the scoring for the Vikings.
Walsh, selected in the sixth round of April’s draft to replace veteran Ryan Longwell, has won the award three times this season, becoming just the second rookie and first since Chicago Bears returner Devin Hester in 2006 to win the special teams award three times in the same season. Walsh won the season opener with a field goal in overtime.
The Vikings play at Green Bay on Saturday night in the first round of the NFC playoffs
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