Patriots Special Teams Star Wins Weekly Award

For the second time in his career, New England Patriots cornerback Marcus Jones has taken home a weekly honor for his special teams play. The NFL announced that Jones was named the Week 4 AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his major, momentum-swinging punt return touchdown against the Carolina Panthers, as well as another long return en route to a franchise record yardage total.

Jones racked up 167 total punt return yards, breaking Hall of Famer Mike Haynes' record that had stood since November of 1976. Jones' second-career punt return touchdown helped get the Patriots on the board, a lead they wouldn't surrender.

"First off, it's a blessing. They told me about that after the game and I wasn't thinking about that, but that's crazy," Jones said about finding out he now holds the New England single-game record. "The first punt, the main thing I always think about is getting the first first down. That's the first thing I was thinking about and just getting the offense in a great position. I had someone on my leg for a little minute, but then I got out, and I tried to find some blocking and everything. But I commend my teammates because they never stop whenever they could and they blocked the guys they needed to block, for sure, and opened up lanes."

Sep 28, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots cornerback Marcus Jones (25) returns a punt for a touchdown during the first half against the Carolina Panthers at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images | Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

His 60-yard return was just as good. He darted across the field, and set the Patriots up well into Panthers' territory. Had he not been tripped up by Carolina punter Sam Martin, he would have found himself in for the second time that afternoon.

"Whenever it happened, and what's crazy is that usually when someone gets tackled, they get tackled right then and there," Jones said. "I got clipped, then ran and fell and I was just like, 'Oh I know they're going to say some stuff about me in the meeting room.' So, I'll hear it from them, I'll hear it from my family, but it's part of the game and everything."

The Patriots first-year captain helped the Patriots rattle off 42-unanswered points for their second victory of the young season. For Jones personally, his individual performance now ranks him second in the league through four weeks with a 28.9 yard average per punt return.

It's the first time Jones has taken home this award since his game-winning punt return touchdown against the New York Jets in his rookie season back in 2022.

"He's a playmaker, everybody knows he's a playmaker," fellow cornerback Christian Gonzalez said postgame. "I feel like once he took that first one back, it felt like he took all that energy from Carolina away, just turned everybody up. It was great to see him make those plays because he works so hard. But we all know what he's capable of and it was awesome to see it."

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