CHARLOTTE (CAROLINA SPORTS LIVE) — Just six weeks into his young career, Panthers’ rookie kicker Ryan Fitzgerald earned his first Player of the Week award.
In a 30-27 win over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 6, Fitzgerald went three for three on field goals, including a 55-yarder at the end of the half and a 33-yarder to win the game, and made all three of his extra point attempts.
On the season, Fitzgerald has made all but one of his 11 field goal attempts. That’s an average of 90.9%, significantly higher than the league average of 83.8%. Fitzgerald has also made 12 of 13 extra points this season.
Fitzgerald is the third Panthers rookie to earn a Player of the Week award in the last 10 seasons, and the first since punter Joseph Charlton in Week 16 of 2020.
Fitzgerald is also the fifth former Florida State kicker to win the Special Teams Player of the Week, including former Panther Graham Gano, who has won the award five times.
As it turned out, all three NFC weekly award winners were from the NFC South. Joining Fitzgerald as Week 6 award winners are Falcons running back Bijan Robinson and Buccaneers cornerback Jamel Dean.