When the calendar flipped to October, Chad Ryland was sitting on the couch, waiting for his opportunity. He ends October as the NFC Special Teams Player of the Month.
Ryland was signed to the Cardinals practice squad on Oct. 2. Once Matt Prater was placed on Injured Reserve with a left knee injury, Ryland was promoted to the 53-man roster. His first game was against the 49ers on Oct. 5.
The second-year kicker has three game-winning kicks in the last four games, including in back-to-back games against the Chargers and Dolphins. His first was in that first game against the 49ers.
He's been a perfect 6-of-6 on extra points and 8-of-9 on field goal attempts. In Miami, Ryland nailed through a career-long 57-yard field goal.
"He's a primetime player," coach Jonathan Gannon said. "We try to rattle him in practice. He's got ice water in his veins right now."
The last time a Cardinals special teamer received the monthly special teams award was kicker Zane Gonzalez in 2019. Safety Budda Baker is the last Cardinals to win a POM award, capturing the defensive version in October of 2020.
Ryland's career has taken a 180-degree turn from last season. Drafted in the fourth round by the Patriots in 2023, he was released after going 16-of-25 on field goal attempts.
As the temperature begins to cool down in the Valley, October's NFC Special Teams Player of the Month hopes to stay red hot.
"I am fortunate to go through all that," Ryland said earlier in the month. "Learned a lot about myself. It makes being here that much better."
