In a narrow two-point victory, the Pittsburgh Steelers needed everyone to step up in Week 1. Taking down the New York Jets by a final score of 34-32 was no easy feat, after all, and one particular player served as the hero.
Kicker Chris Boswell was the man, and now he adds some hardware because of it. Per the league (and the Steelers on X), he’s the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for Week 1.
Pittsburgh Star Chris Boswell Named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week
It’s a fitting award for Boswell, who was picture perfect for the Steelers on Sunday.
Thanks to quarterback Aaron Rodgers, Boswell had four opportunities to drain extra points. He converted on all of them, also going 2-for-2 on field goals. Both came from distance, with the first being a 56-yarder and his 60-yarder being a career-long. The latter boot served as the longest for any kicker in Week 1, and hands-down the most important.
Following the triumphant win, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin praised Boswell for a job well done.
“I can’t say enough about Boz. Our kicker is a serial killer,” Tomlin said. “Man, he’s got a low pulse rate. He can’t wait to deliver.”
This is the fifth time Boswell has been named Special Teams Player of the Week. It’s the most such acknowledgements for a Steeler, passing Jeff Reed. Boswell’s awards in 2015 (Week 6), 2017 (Week 13) and last season (Weeks 1 and 11) now have some company. Among all Pittsburgh players dating back to his debut in 2015, Boswell trails only quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (seven) and pass rusher T.J. Watt (eight) for most Player of the Week wins.
Starting all 17 games for the Steelers last season, Boswell thrived. He made all 35 of his extra point attempts, also going 41-for-44 on field goals. Those 41 makes led the sport, contributing to a sparkling 93.2% accuracy rate. All of those marks netted Boswell his second career Pro Bowl berth, in addition to his only first-team All-Pro nod.
Boswell ‘Not Worried’ About New Contract From Steelers: Report
Of course, with excellent performance should come excellent pay. That’s no foreign concept to Boswell, who is soon due for a raise from the Steelers. According to Over The Cap, his average annual salary of $5 million currently ranks 10th among active kickers. Even at the age of 34, he remains an elite player.
There’s a case to be made that Boswell is the best in the business. Will he be compensated as such? That remains to be seen, as he’s under contract through the end of next season. Experiencing another signature moment like Week 1’s thriller of a kick certainly doesn’t hurt.
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk documented Boswell’s latest thoughts on an extension. The two spoke on the phone following Sunday’s win. Even without a new deal in place, Boswell is worried about controlling what he can control.
“I kind of just look at it you know, my kicking will take care of all that,” Boswell said. “I’m not worried on it. I’m not focused on it. You know, that’s why we all have agents and stuff like that. It didn’t get done and, you know, they have a business to run, too. I mean, just like I gotta look out for myself. I didn’t come to — nothing came about it so just move on, and figure out another time.”
If Boswell’s string of performances keeps being positive, achieving a league-high salary or something close to it won’t be a problem.
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