Steelers News
Calvin Austin III Receives AFC Honor for Standout Performance vs. Giants
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 Pittsburghโs lead to 23-9. In a 26-18 win over New York, Austinโs two game-changing plays were the difference.
โThat punt return was a catalyst for us,โ Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said after the game. โWe were ready to break this thing open, man. I talked to Calvin before on third down, before he took the field, heโd 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
CALVIN. AUSTIN. THE THIRD.
๐บ: #NYGvsPIT on ESPN/ABC/ESPN2
๐ฑ: Stream on #NFLPlus and ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/LPRPSAFRKc— NFL (@NFL) October 29, 2024
Austin felt like he was on the brink of breaking a punt return for a touchdown.
โYeah, I actually texted my friends yesterday,โ Austin said. โI was like, โIโm taking a punt back.โ โฆ I was like, itโs my time and thatโs what happened.
โI went 16, 17 games last year and didnโt take no punts back. Thatโs 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.
โCalvin is deserving of that moment. He deserves all the success,โ Jefferson said. โHe just wants to play ball, just eager to impact the team. Iโm just so proud of him, man. He deserves it. I know heโs going to continue to build off this.โ
All-Pro outside linebacker T.J. Watt also gave Austin a shoutout for his standout performance.
โItโs a collective effort to win a football game. Offense, defense, special teams. How about Calvin Austin? Heโs 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.