Arizona Cardinals’ Justin Bethel named NFC special teams Player of the Month
The Arizona Cardinals often publicly Justin Bethel’s value on special teams.
On Wednesday, the National Football League did the same, naming the 24-year-old defensive back the NFC special teams Player of the Month of December. The news came after Bethel was officially selected to his second consecutive Pro Bowl as the NFC’s special teamer.
Bethel recorded eight special teams tackles in the month, including five within the opposition’s 20-yard line. He also forced a fumble and downed a punt within the opposition’s 5-yard line.
Bethel led the Cardinals for the third consecutive year with 18 special teams tackles, and also blocked his third career field goal in Week 9.
The distinction is just the seventh time in franchise history that a Cardinal has earned Player of the Month honors, whether on offense, defense or special teams. Patrick Peterson was the last Arizona player to earn such a selection, when he was a special teams Player of the Month in 2011.
