Santonio Holmes Wants to Return Punts
June 13, 2008 by David Kindervater
Filed under Pittsburgh Steelers
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Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Santonio Holmes wants to returns punts this season. After averaging 10.2 yards on 26 returns as a rookie — including a 65-yard TD against Carolina — Santonio didn’t field any punts last season. And that’s something he wants to change this fall:
“The more involved I can get in the offense and touching the ball early in the game — whether it’s fair-catching or getting the ball six, seven yards on a punt return — the better I think I’ll play throughout the whole game. Any guy that you can consider a playmaker wants to touch the ball eight to 10 times a game.”
When you look at how Santonio has fared compared to other Steelers returners over the past 10 seasons, he has a case. Only Hank Poteat, Antwaan Randle El and Courtney Hawkins have fared slightly better on average. The Steelers don’t want to risk injury to their #2 receiver, but it might be the chance they need to take for big plays from their special teams.
Source: Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
