Kansas City Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub is one of the league's most respected football coaches, period, as evidenced by the job interviews he had for several head coaching positions this offseason.
This year, thanks in due part to the team's addition of Tyreek Hill, along with the consistency of veteran specialists Cairo Santos and Dustin Colquitt, Toub led another strong year for the unit.
In this article, we're counting down the Chiefs' top five special teams plays of 2016:
5. The Nine-Point Swing
There had been no scoring a quarter and a half into the game on Sunday Night Football between the Chiefs and the Broncos Week 12 in Denver.
That was until Justin Houston's forced safety, meaning the Chiefs would be recipients of a free kick. Hill started on the left side of the field, then reversed course to go up the right sideline. Hill picked up enough speed to outrun all Denver coverage with only teammate De'Anthony Thomas being able to keep up.
Thomas and Hill high-fived each other as Hill crossed the goal line.
4. The Doink Seen Round the World
At No. 4, we stay with the same Sunday Night Football game, but fast-forward three quarters later, to overtime.
After exchanging field goals to begin the overtime period, the Broncos missed a 62-yarder, giving the Chiefs great field position.
Four plays later, Santos lined up for the game-winning 34-yard field goal, which he doinked off the left upright and in. As you watch the play back, about half the Chiefs knew they had won the game, whereas the other half, including punter Dustin Colquitt, weren't so sure.
3. The Longest Punt Return in Franchise History
The longest punt in Chiefs franchise history happened Week 17 against the San Diego Chargers.
Late in third quarter with the Chiefs holding a two-score lead, Hill received a punt only five yards outside the end zone. After somehow avoiding what looked to be sure tacklers, Hill darted to the right sideline.
At one point, Steve Nelson was in his way, so Hill actually needed to shove his own teammate down en route to the 95-yard record touchdown.
2. Chiefs Hit the Fake Punt in Atlanta
During a Week 13 game in Atlanta that will be remembered for the play of safety Eric Berry, this special teams fake helped extend the Chiefs' lead at a crucial time in the game.
At their own 46-yard line, the Chiefs direct snapped the ball to Albert Wilson, who dashed 55 yards for a touchdown. Had this play never been called and worked, the Falcons may never have opted to go for two points later in the game, and perhaps we wouldn't have seen Berry produce the first pick-two interception in NFL history.
1. The Chant
The Chiefs were already up 14-3 against the Oakland Raiders on Thursday Night Football, but this play, at the time, seemed to break the game open.
After the Raiders were called for a "player out of bounds," on the initial return, Hill lined up again for a re-kick. At that point, for the first time ever, the Arrowhead crowd broke out in a "Tyreek" chant.
Moments later, he took it to the house.
Raiders punter Marquette King was the only player that had a shot at tackling Hill, and Hill simply sidestepped him and took it 78 yards down the field for the touchdown* *and extension of the Chiefs' lead.
