Former Florida, South Carolina players earn AFC Player of the Month honors

Former Florida punter Tommy Townsend and former South Carolina outside linebacker Melvin Ingram earned AFC Player of the Month honors.

Townsend was named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Month for his performance in September. He has been a consistent punter for the Kansas City Chiefs in the 1st month of the season. In 3 games, he attempted 11 punts for an average of 55.6 yards per punt.

AFC Players of the Month! (September)@Lj_era8 | @MelvinIngram | @tommy_townsend pic.twitter.com/FHobReSzFn

— NFL (@NFL) September 29, 2022

In Week 2 vs. the Los Angeles Chargers, Townsend blasted a 74-yard punt at the end of the 1st half that ran out the clock. That turned out to be a crucial special teams play for the Chiefs. Since joining the NFL in 2020, Townsend emerged as one of the top punters in the league.

For Ingram, he earned the AFC Defensive Player of the Month honor with his stout defensive play in 3 games. He recorded 2 sacks and 3 tackles for a loss to start off the season. Ingram also had 1 forced fumble and 2 fumble recoveries.

The Miami Dolphins helped Ingram redirect his career in his 11th NFL season. Ingram’s defensive performance contributed to the Dolphins’ early season success. He is in his 1st season with the Dolphins after bouncing around with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Chiefs in 2021. He spent 9 seasons with the Chargers from 2012 to 2020.

Ingram and Townsend earned their honors on defense and special teams.