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Bears WR Jakeem Grant named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week

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Bears wide receiver Jakeem Grant has been named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week following his impressive performance against the Packers in Week 14.

Grant was a big reason why Bears fans — and Matt Nagy — were able to have a little fun during the first half of Sunday night’s game against the Packers, which featured a thrilling six-touchdown second quarter.

Grant scored two touchdowns in the second quarter, including a 46-yard catch-and-run score. But it was his impact on special teams that garnered him recognition.

Grant returned three punt returns for 131 yards, including an insane 97-yard punt return touchdown in the second quarter, the longest in Bears history. It was also the first punt return touchdown of the 2021 NFL season.

Grant, who Chicago traded for back in October,  currently ranks second in the league with an average of 13.2 yards per punt return.

This is the third time Grant has earned player of the week honors, with his previous ones coming in 2018 and 2020 with the Dolphins. Grant now has six kick return touchdowns, four on punts and two on kickoffs in his six-year career.

Grant is the first Bears returner to win the NFC’s Special Teams Player of the Week since the great Devin Hester, which is certainly good company to be in.