EAGAN, Minn. — Kene Nwangwu's second chance to return a kickoff in an NFL game made a resounding first impression.
The rookie running back who was active for his second game ever returned the opening kickoff of the second half 98 yards for a touchdown Sunday in Minnesota's 34-31 overtime loss at Baltimore.
It was the second kickoff return of the day for Nwangwu, who started his day (and career) with a 23-yard return of Baltimore's first kickoff.
Nwangwu's kickoff return touchdown was the first by a Vikings player since Cordarrelle Patterson in 2016, and he is the first rookie to do so since Patterson in 2013.
He joined Steve Smith (Carolina), Randall Cobb (Green Bay), David Johnson (Arizona) and Darrick Vaughn (Atlanta) as the only NFL players since 2000 to score on one of their first two career kickoff returns.
The fourth-round pick had been delayed from hitting the field because of a knee injury he suffered in Minnesota's preseason opener.
A native of Frisco, Texas, Nwangwu made his NFL debut against his hometown team in Week 8, but Dallas' Greg Zuerlein recorded touchbacks on all of his kicks at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Nwangwu also converted a fourth-and-2 by gaining 9 on a fake punt. It was the first fake punt attempted by Minnesota since 2017 and first conversion since 2016.
He is the first Vikings return specialist to win NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honor since Marcus Sherels (punt) for his Week 8 performance at Chicago in 2015.
Minnesota has had 20 different players claim 29 total NFL Player of the Week awards since Head Coach Mike Zimmer's hire in 2014.
VIKINGS NAMED NFC PLAYER OF THE WEEK UNDER ZIMMER
Defensive
Anthony Barr, LB
2014, Week 8, at Tampa Bay
Special Teams
Adam Thielen, WR
2014, Week 13, vs. Carolina
Special Teams
Marcus Sherels, PR
2015, Week 8, at Chicago
Defensive
Linval Joseph, DT
2015, Week 9, vs. St. Louis
Defensive
Terence Newman, CB
2015, Week 10, at Oakland
Special Teams
Blair Walsh, K
2015, Week 16, vs. N.Y. Giants
Defensive
Everson Griffen, DE
2015, Week 17, at Green Bay
Defensive
Eric Kendricks, LB
2016, Week 1, at Tennessee
Offensive
Stefon Diggs, WR
2016, Week 2, vs. Green Bay
Defensive
Everson Griffen, DE
2016, Week 3, at Carolina
Defensive
Xavier Rhodes, CB
2016, Week 11, vs. Arizona
Offensive
Sam Bradford, QB
2017, Week 1, vs. New Orleans
Special Teams
Kai Forbath, K
2017, Week 7, vs. Baltimore
Defensive
Harrison Smith, S
2017, Week 16, at Green Bay
Defensive
Harrison Smith, S
2018, Week 1, vs. San Francisco
Defensive
Danielle Hunter, DE
2018, Week 9, vs. Detroit
Offensive
Dalvin Cook, RB
2018, Week 15, vs. Miami
Defensive
Anthony Harris, S
2019, Week 1, vs. Atlanta
Special Teams
Dan Bailey, K
2019, Week 5, at N.Y. Giants
Special Teams
Dan Bailey, K
2019, Week 8, vs. Washington
Offensive
Dalvin Cook, RB
2019, Week 10, at Dallas
Defensive
Danielle Hunter, DE
2019, Week 14, vs. Detroit
Special Teams
Dan Bailey, K
2019, Week 15, at L.A. Chargers
Special Teams
Mike Boone, RB
2020, Week 4, at Houston
Offensive
Dalvin Cook, RB
2020, Week 8, at Green Bay
Offensive
Dalvin Cook, RB
2020, Week 9, vs. Detroit
Offensive
Kirk Cousins, QB
2020, Week 12, vs. Carolina
Offensive
Kirk Cousins, QB
2020, Week 17, at Detroit
Special Teams
Kene Nwangwu, KR
2021, Week 9, at Baltimore
