Arizona Cardinals rookie running back LaRod Stephens-Howling has been named this weeks NFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance in last Sundays game at Tennessee.

After Chris Johnsons 85-yard touchdown run which gave the Titans a 13-3 lead in the third quarter, Stephens-Howling returned the ensuing kickoff 99-yards for a touchdown. He became the first Cardinals rookie to return a kickoff for a TD since Roy Green on October 10, 1979 (106 yards at Dallas). Additionally, he downed three of Ben Grahams punts inside deep inside Titan territory, stopping the ball at the 5, 2, and 1-yard lines. He also collected his team high 18th special teams tackle and now has at least one special teams tackle in 10 of the 11 Cardinals games this season. Stephens-Howling finished the game with four kickoff returns for a career-high 167 yards (41.8-yard avg.).

This is Stephens-Howlings first selection for Player of the Week honors. It is also the 16th time in team history that a Cardinals player was selected as Special Teams Player of the Week and Stephens-Howling becomes the 11th different player to earn the honor.

Stephens-Howling becomes just the third Cardinals player to be named Player of the Week following a defeat. Running back Ottis Anderson and quarterback Neil Lomax both did it in 1984.

He is the first rookie to win Player of the Week honors since wide receiver Steve Breaston was honored as Special Teams Player of the Week in 2007 (week 4). Stephens-Howling also becomes only the fifth Cardinals rookie in team history to be selected as Player of the Week, joining kicker Bill Gramatica in 2001 (special teams, week 11), running back Ron Moore in 1993 (offensive, week 14 and 17) and cornerback Lonnie Young in 1985 (defensive, week 14).