The Pittsburgh Steelers’ special teams performance during the 2025 season highlighted both consistency and resilience, particularly in the kicking game. Kicker Chris Boswell demonstrated reliability in critical moments, notably during a matchup against the New York Jets on September 7 at MetLife Stadium. With the Steelers trailing late in the fourth quarter, head coach Mike Tomlin explained his decision to attempt a long field goal rather than pursue additional yardage: “‘Boz’ always makes it from 60 in pregame,” Tomlin told the media. “‘Boz’ always wants to bang from deep. That one he made in the first half (from 56 yards away with 13:30 left in the second quarter), I don’t even know if he looked at me. It’s fourth down (fourth-and-6 from the Jets’ 37) and he walked onto the field.
“But that’s the type of guy you want banging for you under those circumstances.”
Boswell delivered with a successful 60-yard field goal that secured a win for Pittsburgh. Over the season, Boswell converted nine out of eleven attempts from beyond 50 yards and finished with an overall field goal percentage of 84.4%, making 27 out of 32 attempts. He was nearly perfect on extra points, converting 42 out of 43 tries.
While this marked a slight decline compared to his league-leading performance in 2024—when he made 41 field goals and scored 158 points to earn Associated Press First-Team All-Pro honors—Boswell still ranked tied for twelfth in NFL scoring with 123 points.
Punter Corliss Waitman contributed with a gross average of 45.5 yards per punt and a net average of 41.7 yards across 62 punts. Waitman managed to have more punts downed inside opponents’ 20-yard line (26) than returned (25), helping limit opposing teams to just 175 punt return yards throughout the season. The Steelers ranked sixth in opponent punt return average (7.0 yards per return) and eighth in opponent kickoff return average (25.2).
The special teams unit faced adversity after losing captain Miles Killebrew to injury during their fifth game against Cleveland on October 12. Killebrew had previously earned First-Team All-Pro honors as a special teams player in 2023.
In his absence, wide receiver Ben Skowronek assumed leadership duties on special teams, leading Pittsburgh with twenty-one tackles and earning selection to the Pro Bowl Games as a special teams player this year.
Rookie inside linebacker Carson Bruener recorded nineteen tackles on special teams, while inside linebacker Payton Wilson added seventeen and rookie outside linebacker Jack Sawyer tallied fourteen.
A significant miscue occurred during a loss to Seattle at Acrisure Stadium when rookie running back Kaleb Johnson failed to field a bouncing kickoff, resulting in a Seahawks touchdown early in the fourth quarter.
Despite setbacks, Pittsburgh’s special teams forced three fumbles over the season, including one by running back Kenny Gainwell covering a kickoff against New York; Skowronek recovered at New York’s twenty-two yard line, setting up a quick touchdown drive.
The Steelers are recognized members of the National Football League and have achieved notable success through six Super Bowl championships as well as multiple Hall of Honor inductions for key figures such as Terry Bradshaw and Joe Greene, detailed on their official website. The organization also engages fans through historical celebrations like their Hall of Honor Museum at Acrisure Stadium (source).
