Kicker Ryan Succop entered Sunday's season finale needing 10 points to set the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' single-season scoring record in just his first year with the team. Succop got those 10 points and more, not only helping the Buccaneers win their fourth straight game but also earning a little extra hardware for his mantel at home.
On Wednesday, Succop was named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week award for Week 17 for his performance in the Bucs' 44-27 win over the Atlanta Falcons. Succop made all eight of his kicks – three field goals and five extra points – for 14 points, marking the fourth time this season he has scored 13 or more points in a game.
While the Buccaneers scored on each of their five first-half possessions in Sunday's victory, the offense did have some trouble in the red zone. Succop's reliable kicking, including field goals of 38, 29 and 25 yards, allowed the Buccaneers to build a 23-10 halftime lead before pulling away from the Falcons in the fourth quarter. Succop's performance marked just the third time in franchise history that a kicker has made at least eight kicks without a miss in a single game. Succop's 14 points were also the most by any NFC kicker in Week 17.
One of Succop's other double-digit scoring efforts this season also won him a Special Teams Player of the Week award. He took that honor for the first time as a Buccaneer in Week Eight after his perfect night in the Meadowlands – four field goals and one extra point without a miss – was instrumental in Tampa Bay's 24-22 win over the New York Giants on Monday Night Football. Succop was one of only three players in the NFC, along with Washington punter Tress Way and Detroit kicker Matt Prater, to win two NFC Special Teams Player of the Week awards in 2020.
Succop is the first player in franchise history to win two Special Teams Player of the Week awards in the same season.
This is the seventh Player of the Week award in Succop's 12 NFL seasons, the first 11 of which were played in the AFC. He previously won twice as a member of the Tennessee Titans, in Week Six of the 2017 season and Week 15 of the 2016 campaign, and three times while with the Kansas City Chiefs. He first took home the award in Weeks 4 and 15 of the 2011 season, then again in Week Eight of 2013.
Tampa Bay players have taken home a volley of weekly and monthly awards this season. That includes six Player of the Week Awards, two each for Succop and inside linebacker Devin White (Weeks Seven and 15) and one each for outside linebacker Shaquil Barrett (Week Three) and quarterback Tom Brady (Week Four). In addition, inside linebacker Lavonte David was the NFC Defensive Player of the Month in September, Brady was the NFC Offensive Player of the Month in October and safety Antoine Winfield, Jr. was the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month in September.
