Cole Kmet has been one of the NFL's most productive tight ends this season, but that's not what earned him recognition from the league Wednesday.

The fifth-year pro was named the NFC special teams player of the week after doubling as the Bears' long snapper for the final three quarters of last Sunday's 35-16 win over the Jaguars in London. Kmet is believed to be the first long snapper to be honored as an NFL special teams player of the week.

He was called upon after long snapper Scott Daly exited the game late in the first period with a knee injury he sustained while covering a punt. The Bears did not punt again after that, but Kmet snapped on five extra point attempts and one field goal try.

"It's pretty dramatic when you lose your short and long snapper," said coach Matt Eberflus. "It's an important part of scoring points and getting the punts off. There was definitely a lot of talk [on the sideline] … He was good in there. My hat's off to him."

The Bears anointed Kmet their emergency long snapper because they knew he had experience at the position at St. Viator High School in Arlington Heights.

"Definitely not a position I envisioned playing in the NFL, ever," Kmet said. "But you've got to do what you've got to do and there's only so many guys you can dress on gameday, and only so many guys that you can have on the roster. You have to have somebody that can be the emergency and I'm that guy, reluctantly, at times. I get my two or three snaps in on Thursday [in practice], and we go to Sunday."

Kmet was instrumental in the Bears' win over Jacksonville, not only long snapping but catching five passes on five targets for a team-leading 70 yards and two touchdowns. In the process, he became the first NFL player to score a TD and snap for the subsequent extra point since the Eagles' Mike Bartrum in 2005.

Kmet is the third Bears player to earn player of the week honors this season, joining cornerback Tyrique Stevenson in Week 1 and punter Tory Taylor in Week 4.