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Calvin Austin III Receives AFC Honor for Standout Performance vs. Giants

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Steelers wide receiver/punt returner Calvin Austin III
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver/punt returner Calvin Austin III returning a punt for a 73-yard touchdown against the New York Giants on Oct. 28, 2024. -- Ed Thompson / Steelers Now

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver/punt returner Calvin Austin III was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week.



With the game tied 9-9 in the third quarter, Austin broke through with a 73-yard punt return for a touchdown to give the Pittsburgh Steelers a 16-9 lead over the New York Giants at the 4:38 mark of the third quarter on Monday night.

On the Steelersโ€™ next possession, Austin caught a 29-yard touchdown from Russell Wilson to enhance Pittsburghโ€™s lead to 23-9. In a 26-18 win over New York, Austinโ€™s two game-changing plays were the difference.

โ€œThat punt return was a catalyst for us,โ€ Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said after the game. โ€œWe were ready to break this thing open, man. I talked to Calvin before on third down, before he took the field, heโ€™d just been close for a couple weeks, and I thought it was his time and he thought it was his time, and he delivered.โ€

Austin felt like he was on the brink of breaking a punt return for a touchdown.

โ€œYeah, I actually texted my friends yesterday,โ€ Austin said. โ€œI was like, โ€˜Iโ€™m taking a punt back.โ€™ โ€ฆ I was like, itโ€™s my time and thatโ€™s what happened.

โ€œI went 16, 17 games last year and didnโ€™t take no punts back. Thatโ€™s not like myself and the standard I hold myself to. Getting in there was just a sigh of relief.โ€

Austin is the fifth player in Steelers history with a receiving touchdown and punt return for a touchdown in the same game. He is also only the third player in the last 20 years to record a receiving touchdown and punt return for a touchdown on Monday Night Football.

โ€œCalvin is deserving of that moment. He deserves all the success,โ€ Jefferson said. โ€œHe just wants to play ball, just eager to impact the team. Iโ€™m just so proud of him, man. He deserves it. I know heโ€™s going to continue to build off this.โ€

All-Pro outside linebacker T.J. Watt also gave Austin a shoutout for his standout performance.

โ€œItโ€™s a collective effort to win a football game. Offense, defense, special teams. How about Calvin Austin? Heโ€™s been knocking at the door for a long time,โ€ Watt said.

RELATED: Steelers Locker Room: Calvin Austin III on Game-Breaking Punt Return

Alan Saunders provided reporting from Pittsburgh.

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