<
        >

          NFL Nation

          Fisher unhappy McDonald was overlooked

          • Nick Wagoner, ESPN Staff WriterSep 18, 2014, 12:00 PM ET
            Close
              Nick Wagoner is an NFL reporter at ESPN. Nick has covered the San Francisco 49ers and the NFL at ESPN since 2016, having previously covered the St. Louis Rams for 12 years, including three years (2013 to 2015) at ESPN. In his 10 years with the company, Nick has led ESPN's coverage of the Niners' 2019 Super Bowl run, Colin Kaepernick's protest, the Rams making Michael Sam the first openly gay player drafted to the NFL, Sam's subsequent pursuit of a roster spot and the team's relocation and stadium saga. You can follow Nick via Twitter @nwagoner
            Follow on X

          EARTH CITY, Mo. -- On Wednesday afternoon, St. Louis Rams coach Jeff Fisher was asked an innocent question about safety T.J. McDonald's ability to block kicks on special teams.

          After a short response about McDonald's skills in that area, Fisher took the conversation in a different direction.

          Clearly, Fisher was none too pleased to hear the news that Arizona returner Ted Ginn won the NFC's Special Teams Player of the Week honor instead of McDonald. It's an understandable position to take given what McDonald accomplished compared to Ginn last week.

          "In a two-point game to block a field goal and block a punt and be the same person who did it, I would think you would get a little bit of consideration for Player of the Week," Fisher said. "Apparently, those people that voted must've thought we had our bye week last week ­­­­or something, I don't know what's going on. Again, Ted Ginn's a really good player and I have nothing against Ted, but I thought maybe (McDonald) would've gotten some consideration.”

          It's hard to argue with Fisher's point. McDonald blocked a punt and a field goal against the Buccaneers and his blocked field goal prevented Tampa Bay from extending its lead to four points, eventually paving the way for kicker Greg Zuerlein's game winning field goal.

          Ginn returned a punt 71 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter of the Cardinals' 25-14 win against the New York Giants on Sunday. Certainly, it was a big play that helped Arizona secure the win. But Ginn's award is the third of his career and McDonald's big plays were every bit as influential in helping the Rams get a victory.

          Taking it further, comparing multiple blocked kicks to one punt return touchdown should be apples and oranges. Against the Bucs, McDonald became the first player to block a field goal and a punt in the same game since New England's Patrick Chung on Oct. 4, 2010. By way of comparison, there were 61 punt returns for touchdowns from week 4 of that season until Ginn's most recent touchdown.

          To his credit, McDonald seemed nonplussed by the snub.

          "It's not frustrating to me," McDonald said. "We got the win, that's all that matters to me. I went out there and made plays and helped our team win so that was the biggest thing."

          And though McDonald's coach doesn't technically have a vote, he cast one anyway.

          “I voted for him,” Fisher said.

          For the second-year safety, that seems to be more than enough.

          "That's all that matters, what happens in this building right here," McDonald said.