Steelers Now
Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin revealed on Instagram Monday night that rookie kicker Ben Sauls won the Steelers home run derby, which is an annual training camp tradition at St. Vincent College.
“Your 2025 Steelers Home Run Derby winner, Ben Sauls,” Tomlin wrote.
It appears there was some controversy in Sauls winning the home run derby.
“This should be mine,” Steelers long snapper Christian Kuntz replied to Tomlin.
Steelers wide receiver and special teams ace Ben Skowronek also replied, “How did @ckuntz24 do?”
Tomlin responded, “@bennyskow You better not go there.”
Former Steelers quarterback Justin Fields won the Steelers home run derby in 2024. Prior to that, ex-Steelers QB Kenny Pickett won it in 2023 and 2022. Other than Fields and Pickett, some of the recent past winners of the Steelers home run derby are Larry Foote (2012), Greg Warren (2013), Dan Molls (2014), Ben Roethlisberger (2015), Sammie Coates (2016), Colin Holba (2017) and Matt Feiler (2018).
Dating back to 2012, Pickett is the only player to win the home derby in back-to-back years. The Steelers home run derby was canceled in 2019 after the passing of wide receivers coach Darryl Drake. It was also canceled in 2020 and 2021, as training camp was held at Heinz Field due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sauls, who starred at Pitt, was one of the top options at his position heading into the 2025 NFL Draft. While he did not get selected, it did not take long for the next-door neighbors the Steelers to scoop him up.
Sauls is built for a transforming kicking game that features more and more attempts beyond 50 yards. He is no stranger to converting on long kicks as he knocked through six 50-yard field goals during his final season at Pitt in 2024, including a pair from 57 and tying a program record with a 58-yard make.
In 2024, Sauls connected on 21-of-24 field goals and a perfect 44-of-44 on extra points. He was selected to the Pro Football Focus All-American team and a Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award Semifinalist.
The Tipp City, Ohio native spent the last five seasons at Pitt and benefited from kicking in Acrisure Stadium — one of the toughest stadiums to kick in.
“It’s not like that’s the main reason I’m getting attention, but it’s huge. I’ve gotten a lot of props from a lot of different teams in the NFL like, ‘You had a great career, but you also did it in Acrisure.’ I knew that coming here – Alex Kessman, shout out to him – he was always like, ‘If you can kick here, you can kick anywhere.’ I’ve carried that mindset and that’s certainly helped me out and that’s a resume builder, no doubt about it,” Sauls said.
Overall, Sauls finished his Pitt career hitting on 52-of-64 field-goal attempts, while averaging 63 yards per kickoff.
With All-Pro kicker Chris Boswell on the roster, Sauls most likely won’t earn a spot with the Steelers, but he could catch on...
