Broncos safety Simmons named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week

Nov 16, 2016, 1:35 PM Updated: 1:39 pm

Justin Simmons is taking his 40-inch vertical all the way to the trophy case, as the Denver Broncos rookie earned AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors.

With the New Orleans Saints lining up for an extra point Sunday, tied 23-23, to take a one-point lead late in the fourth quarter, the rookie defensive back leaped over the center to block the kick, which was returned by fellow rookie safety Will Parks for a two-point play.

After review, the call of the field stands.

Leap the line.
Block the extra point.
Take the lead.
Wow. #DENvsNO https://t.co/yX5QdVQ2Bn

— NFL (@NFL) November 13, 2016

Simmons said on Monday that special teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis told him to pay close attention to the snap count to get a feel for jumping it just in case they needed to run that specific play.

“We didn’t know if we were even going to use it, but obviously we needed it at the end of the game and it paid off big time,” Simmons.

Defensive end Jared Crick also received a piece of the credit for the play, as he held down the center — a legal play — to ensure he didn’t touch Simmons on his trip over the line. Had he, Simmons would have been called for a penalty.

“Those guys deserve just as much credit as I did for getting the block,” Simmons said.

Both Simmons and DeCamillis earned game balls from head coach Gary Kubiak after the game.

It’s just the third time since the league changed its two-point conversion rules in 2015 that a defending team has taken a turnover back to the house for two points — and the first wherein the points meant a win for a team.

The honor is the 26th Special Teams Player of the Week award given to a Broncos player and the first since Matt Prater won it in December 2013.

Follow digital content producer Johnny Hart on Twitter: @JohnnyHart7.