The Pittsburgh Steelers demonstrated strong kick-blocking skills last season, a feature that special teams coordinator Danny Smith plans to continue leveraging in the upcoming season.
“I think we’ll be pretty good at it,” Smith said regarding their blocking abilities.
In 2024, the Steelers were officially credited with two blocked field goals and a blocked punt. They also blocked an extra point against the New York Jets on October 20, which was nullified due to a leverage penalty. Head coach Mike Tomlin later shared that the NFL office determined no such penalty should have been assessed after further review.
Achieving three or four blocked kicks in an NFL season is considered a high standard. The Steelers aim to maintain this level by building upon their special teams’ operations from scratch while also capitalizing on their recent successes. Since 2023, they have led the NFL with six blocked kicks and 11 since 2021.
“It’s a combination,” Smith explained. “You want to build on it and you expect it, but every year’s a new year, it really is.”
Smith emphasized that despite past achievements, each new season brings fresh challenges as opponents adapt and improve. He stressed the importance of continually developing players and techniques to maintain their competitive edge.
As for kicker Chris Boswell, he will be expected to perform at a high level again after leading the NFL in field goals (41), points by a kicker (158), and field goal success rate (93.2 percent) in 2024.
However, Smith pointed out areas needing improvement within the kicking game, particularly field position. “The biggest thing we need to improve on is field position,” he stated. “This is a game of field position. We need better position all over the field.”
Smith considers penalties, turnovers, and field position as critical aspects where improvements can lead to overall team success. He expressed confidence in addressing these issues moving forward.
