Chad Ryland’s afternoon at SoFi Stadium turned into the kind of kicking performance that doesn’t just win a game - it wins hardware.
The Arizona Cardinals kicker has been named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week after delivering every point in Week 6 against the Los Angeles Rams. In Arizona’s 18-16 upset, Ryland drilled all six of his field goal attempts and accounted for the full scoreboard on the way to the Cardinals’ second win of the season.
His kicks came from 34, 30, 22, 38, 27 and 43 yards, with the final one ending the game as time expired in regulation. That 43-yarder was the latest in a day full of milestones: Ryland set career highs with six field goals and 18 points, and he became the first player in the NFL to hit 6+ field goals in a game since Houston’s Ka’imi Fairbairn on 1/4/2026 against Indianapolis.
For Ryland, it’s his first time taking home the weekly honor, and he’s now the ninth kicker in Cardinals history to do it. He’s also the second Arizona player to earn NFC Special Teams Player of the Week recognition this season, following Simi Fehoko after the Week 1 win at the Chargers. The Cardinals hadn’t had two different players claim that award in the same season since 2015, when David Johnson and Chandler Catanzaro did it.
“I think our special teams has been really good all year," Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur said after the win. "I think they're an edge for us for sure in all units.
I told the guys last night I didn't plan on using our punt team. We obviously had a few punts, but for the most part, did a pretty good job of controlling the ball.
"I never want to see six kicks again unless they're extra points. But if you're going to kick it, you might as well make it. I’m very happy for those guys.”
Ryland’s path back to Arizona started in free agency this offseason, when he beat out Josh Karty for the job. He had already flashed in key moments for the organization in 2024, then hit some rough patches in 2025. This season, though, he’s been far steadier, and Sunday was his biggest statement yet.
His six makes in Los Angeles are the most in a single game in the NFL this season. He now ranks tied for third in the league with 14 made field goals and fourth in total points with 54.
And with the Rams game, Ryland added his fifth career game-winner to the ledger. Only once in franchise history has a Cardinals player made more field goals in a game, when Jim Bakken hit seven on 9/24/67 at Pittsburgh.
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Mike LaFleur Loved The Win But Knows Cardinals Have A Problem
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Sweats situation is what makes this more interesting than a routine rumor mill entry. He is not a short-term stopgap, which means any conversation would carry more weight than a simple rental deal, and that naturally raises the stakes for a Cardinals team trying to balance present value with longer-term plans. For now, though, there is no confirmed trade and no indication of where the talks might go, leaving his status as one of the more closely watched names heading toward the deadline. [Read more 🡒]