Steelers Now
Pittsburgh Steelers special teams coordinator Danny Smith believes he has the best unit in the NFL.
Kicker Chris Boswell was named first-team All-Pro in 2024, and special teams captain Miles Killebrew was first-team All-Pro in 2023 and made the Pro Bowl in each of the last two seasons.
Punter Cameron Johnston was impressive before suffering a season-ending injury in Week 1, but Corliss Waitman filled in admirably. Pittsburgh was one of just six teams to return a punt for a touchdown (Calvin Austin III’s 73-yard punt return against the New York Giants in Week 8). The Steelers were also tied for first in field goals blocked with two.
Smith has a valid point.
“We were number one,” Smith said on The Pat McAfee Show in regard to his special teams unit last season. “And that’s not me, man — that’s the players that I coach. They come out with rankings and that… I got good players, man. This organization will supply you with people. You gotta know what you’re doing. You gotta give them a direction. And these players will work their butt off if you know what you’re doing.”
"If I supply the energy the players will follow..
I really believe in that and that's the way that I coach" ~ Danny Smith #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/aIt7bWPeZT
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) July 30, 2025
Boswell, who was 41 of 44 on field goal attempts in 2024, nearly broke an NFL single-season record. The record is 44 field goals, set by San Francisco 49ers kicker David Akers in 2011.
Boswell was clutch for the Steelers this season, converting on 13 of 15 field goal attempts from 50+ yards. Hes also was 35 of 35 on extra points this year. With those kind of numbers, it’s not surprising that Boswell was named first-team All-Pro by the AP.
Boswell was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week twice this season (Week 1 and Week 11). He was also named AFC Special Teams Player of the Month in September and October.
“[Boswell] is special,” Smith said. “Nothing is too big for him. He wants the big kick. He gets pissed off when we don’t go to 56, 57, in that range. So, I’ll piss him off in practice. I’ll put the ball at the 35, which would be a 53-yard field goal, and I’ll call for the punt team. And he calls me every name in the book.
“I’ll always say, ‘Just a heads up here, watch [Boswell].’ And he ain’t paying attention. He’s walking and I say, ‘All right, balls on the 35, it’s fourth-and-3, let’s go punt. ‘What do you mean punt?’ He goes crazy.”
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Danny Smith Makes Bold Statement About Steelers Special Teams Unit
