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Kaden Wetjen named Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week

On3 imageby: Tom Kakert3 hours agoHawkeyeReport
Kaden Wetjen
He played far from the most snaps for the Iowa offense, but no player exerted more effort on a single play than Kaden Wetjen during his dazzling 95-yard punt return score. (Photo Credit: Dennis Scheidt - @webcentrick on Twitter)

Last year Kaden Wetjen was named the recipient of the Rodgers-Dwight Return Specialist of the Year for his outstanding season returning punts and kickoffs.


The senior from Williamsburg, IA is off to another great season in 2025. This past Saturday he had a massive performance in the return game, earning himself Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week.
He finished with a grand total of 216 return yards in the win over UMass on Saturday night. The 182 punt return yards are the fourth-most in a single game in Big Ten history, trailing Maryland’s William Likely (233 in 2015), Iowa’s Nile Kinnick (201 in 1939) and Iowa’s Kevonte Martin-Manley (184 in 2013).

Wetjen made history returning a punt 95 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter in the 40-point victory. The return tied a Big Ten and Iowa record (Michigan State’s Al Brenner at Illinois, 1966, and Iowa’s Bill Happel vs. Minnesota, 1984) and was the longest punt return in Kinnick Stadium history, besting Bob Longley (94 vs. Oregon in 1949). It was his second career punt return for a touchdown and his third career return touchdown (two punt, one kickoff).
Wetjen is now tied for second in school history with two punt return touchdowns (with Kahlil Hill and Martin-Manley). Wetjen and Tim Dwight are the only players in school history with multiple 80+ yard punt return touchdowns (Dwight 3, Wetjen 2).

Wetjen also had a 20-yard touchdown run on a reverse in the first quarter for his first career rushing touchdown. The Williamsburg, Iowa, native is believed to be the first player in Iowa history to have a rushing, receiving, punt return and kickoff return score in his career.

Wetjen is the first Hawkeye to earn a Big Ten weekly accolade this season. Wetjen has earned Big Ten Special Teams weekly honors twice in his career (Sept. 15, 2024).

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