ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — After an impressive prime-time performance, wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. has earned national recognition.
Mims has been named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance in a win over the Bills, the NFL announced Wednesday.
The Denver rookie posted three returns of at least 15 yards, including a 17-yard punt return, a 31-yard kick return and a 27-yard punt return. Each of Mims' punt returns sparked Denver touchdown drives, as the Broncos began their drives at the Denver 48-yard line and 46-yard line, respectively.
"It was significant," Head Coach Sean Payton said Monday of Mims' impact. "I felt like we played a lot of the game on their end of the field. What happens when you do that is the mistakes are magnified when they make them, and they're not as glaring when you make them."
Mims is the first Broncos rookie since Justin Simmons (Week 10, 2016) to be named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week, and he joins Simmons as the only Broncos to earn player of the week honors this season.
The Oklahoma product joins Diontae Spencer (2020), Trindon Holliday (2012, '13), Eddie Royal (2009, '11) and Glenn Martinez (2007) as the Denver returners since 2000 to win the award.
With Mims as the team's primary returner, the Broncos lead the league in kickoff return (33.6) and punt return (20.7) average. Mims has posted six kickoff returns of at least 20 yards and recorded at least 11 yards on eight of his nine punt returns.
Mims' 20.7 yards per punt return would rank first in the NFL, if he had enough returns to qualify. His nine returns fall just short of the 11.25 returns needed to qualify through nine games.
Punter Corliss Waitman (Week 3, 2022) was the last Bronco to win AFC Special Teams Player of the Week.
