Gunner Olszewski

2020 first-team all-pro punt returner

AFC Special Teams Player of the Week, 2020 Week 13

NFC Special Teams Player of the Week, 2023 Week 17

Originally signed as a rookie free agent by the New England Patriots on May 23. 2019…Signed as a free agent by the Pittsburgh Steelers on March 22, 2022…Released by Pittsburgh on Oct. 21, 2023…Signed to the Giants' practice squad on Oct. 23, 2023, and to their active roster on Nov. 3, 2023…Re-signed as a free agent by the Giants on March 14, 2024.

HONORS:

• 2020 first-team all-pro punt returner
• AFC Special Teams Player of the Week, 2020 Week 13
• NFC Special Teams Player of the Week, 2023 Week 17

TRANSACTIONS:

• Originally signed as a rookie free agent by the New England Patriots on May 23. 2019…Signed as a free agent by the Pittsburgh Steelers on March 22, 2022…Released by Pittsburgh on Oct. 21, 2023…Signed to the Giants' practice squad on Oct. 23, 2023, and to their active roster on Nov. 3, 2023…Re-signed as a free agent by the Giants on March 14, 2024.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:

• Has played in 65 games with 4 starts for New England, Pittsburgh, and the Giants and played in one postseason game for the Patriots…Career totals include 15 receptions for 180 yards and one touchdown, 14 rushing attempts for 71 yards, an 11.9-yard average on 98 punt returns, including 70 and 94-yard touchdowns, and a 22.0-yard average on 41 kickoff returns, with a long runback of 37 yards.
• Led the NFL with a 17.3-yard punt return average in 2020 (20 returns for 346 yards and one touchdown), the highest return average in Patriots history and the 2nd-highest in the NFL since 1970…Named AP first-team all-pro, Pro Football Weekly All-NFL Team, PFWA All-AFC Team and Sporting News All-Pro.
• In 2023, played 2 games for Pittsburgh and 10 for the Giants…For the Steelers, returned one punt for 8 yards and 2 kickoffs for 24 yards…With the Giants, returned 23 punts for 273 yards (11.9-yard avg.) and one touchdown…Add one tackle and one fumble recovery on special teams.
• Had 4 punt returns for 108 yards against the Rams (12/31), including a career-long 94-yard punt that was the 2nd-longest punt return in the NFL in 2023, the 2^nd-longest in Giants history, and the team's longest in 95 years…On Sept. 30, 1928, Al Youngblood scored on a 95-yard return in a season-opening road game against the Pottsville Maroons.
• Before Olszewski's long score, the Giants had played 132 regular-season and three postseason games since their last punt return touchdown…Dwayne Harris scored on an 80-yard return vs. the Jets on Dec. 6, 2015.
• Against the Rams, the Giants also scored on an 80-yard pass from Tyrod Taylor to Darius Slayton…The Giants have played 1,455 games in their history, including the postseason, and that is the only one in which they scored 2 touchdowns of 80 or more yards.
• Returned a season-high 6 punts for 56 yards (9.3-yard avg.) in his Giants debut vs. the Jets (10/29).
• In 2022, played in 16 games with 2 starts for Pittsburgh…Returned 3 kickoffs for 46 yards (15.3-yard avg.) and 8 punts for 55 yards (6.9-yard avg.)…Caught 5 passes for 53 yards and had 8 carries for 39 yards…Registered 2 tackles on special teams…Had a career-long 18-yard run vs. New England (9/18)…Tallied a career-high 39 receiving yards, including a season-long 31-yarder, vs. Cincinnati (11/20).
• In his final season in New England in 2021, played in 16 regular-season games primarily as the team's primary punt and kickoff returner…Returned 26 punts for 309 yards, an 11.9-yard average that tied for 2nd in the NFL…Added 18 kickoffs for 416 yards (23.1-yard avg.)…Caught 2 passes for 31 yards…Had 3 punt returns of 20 or more yards at the Chargers (10/31) to become the first NFL player with 3 such returns in a game since Indianapolis' Nyheim Hines on Dec. 22, 2019, vs. Tennessee…First Patriot to do so since Troy Brown on Sept. 11, 2000, at the Jets…Registered a career-long 37-yard kickoff return vs. Tennessee (11/28).
• In 2020, played 13 regular-season games with 2 starts…Missed the season's first 3 games with an injury…Averaged 17.3 yards on 20 punts and 23.2 yards on 18 kickoff returns…His 17.3-yard punt return average led the NFL and was the highest average in New England history, and the 2nd-highest in the league since 1970…Fourth player in franchise history to lead the league in punt return average…Named AP first-team all-pro, Pro Football Weekly All-NFL, PFWA All-AFC Team and Sporting News All-Pro…Caught 5 passes for 62 yards and one touchdown and rushed for 23 yards on 5 carries.
• Named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance at the Chargers (12/6), when he returned 3 punts for 145 yards (48.3-yard avg.)…His 145 punt return yards were the 2nd-highest total in franchise history…Scored on a 70-yard punt return and added a 61-yard runback…Became the first player in New England history with 2 punt returns of at least 60 yards in a game…Also caught a 38-yard touchdown pass to become the 4th player in Patriots history to score on a punt return and a reception in a game…Made his first NFL start at wide receiver at Buffalo (11/1)…Returned 2 punts for yards vs. Arizona (11/29), including a then career-long 58 yards.
• As a rookie in 2019, played in 8 games before being placed on injured reserve (11/19)…Returned 20 punts for 179 yards (9.0-yard avg.) and caught 2 passes for 34 yards… Made his NFL debut vs. Pittsburgh (9/8) and returned 2 punts for 35 yards.

COLLEGE:

• Played in 42 games at Bemidji State (2015-18)…Was a defensive back before switching to wide receiver in pursuit of an NFL career…Registered 310 tackles (183 solo), 40 passes defensed, 13 interceptions, 9 tackles for loss, 3 forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and 1.0 sack…Averaged 29.7 yards on 11 kickoff returns and 13.4 yards on 69 punt returns…Named 2018 NSIC Defensive Player of the Year and AFCA DII All-America First Team…Three-time NSIC North Division All-Conference first team…Voted Bemidji State's defensive and special teams MVP...Played baseball at Bemidji State before an injury sidelined him during his junior season and focus shifted to football…Played in 91 games and batted .316 with 18 doubles, 4 triples, 8 home runs, 53 RBI, 60 runs scored and 30 stolen bases (in 37 attempts).

OFF-THE-FIELD ACTIVITY:

• Met with members from the Wounded Warriors Project during their visit to the Quest Diagnostics Training Center to watch practice and enjoy a day with the Giants…Participated in Jingle Jam, where he helped spread holiday joy to over 500 New Jersey foster children by spending time with them and assisting with the gift distribution.

PERSONAL

• Earned 2 varsity letters in both football and baseball at Alvin (Texas) High School…Two-time first-team all-district safety…Holds the school record for career tackles (270) and interceptions (7) and single-season tackles (150)…As a senior Olszewski forced 6 fumbles and returned 3 punts for touchdowns…Academic honor role…Son of Eric and Collette Olszewski…Father, Eric, was a minor league baseball pitcher in the Atlanta Braves organization.