Cheat Sheet: A look at the Steelers’ 2023 special teams….

SPECIAL TEAMS

• Chris Boswell only missed just one extra point all season and just two field goals. Boswell was perfect inside 40 yards. His 93.5% field goal percentage ties his second-best season from 2019. His best season in 2020 was a 95% success rate. Boswell’s career 87.2% field goal success rate is the sixth-best all time among kickers who have attempted at least 100 field goals.
• Opponents missed five field goals in games this season compared to the two missed by Boswell. Opponents made 86.5% of their field goal attempts. That was the 15th-highest percentage in the league. Opponents also only made 92.3% of their extra point attempts. Six teams faced a lower percentage of extra points made.
• The Steelers gross average punt yards of 44 yards was only better than New Orleans. However, Pittsburgh’s 20 punts downed inside the 20-yard line was the sixth-most in the league. The Steelers also punted 89 times, fifth-most.
• Including the playoffs, Nick Herbig led the Steelers in special teams snaps with 371. Next in line were Miles Killebrew (335), Miles Boykin (332), Mark Robinson (320), James Pierre (279), Connor Heyward (259), Chandon Sullivan (234), Elijah Riley (216) and Rodney Williams (205). Pierre only appeared in 17 of a possible 18 games. Riley only appeared in 13 and Williams only 14. The others listed here were used in all 18 games this season.
• Five players finished the season with 13 special teams tackles to lead the NFL. Killebrew finished with 12. Pierre was next on the team with seven. Herbig and Williams had six.
• The Steelers and Cowboys (two each) were the only two special teams units to block multiple punts.
• Opponents averaged 2.9 more yards per kickoff return than Pittsburgh, but the Steelers averaged .7 more yards per punt return than they allowed. The average kickoff return against Pittsburgh gained 26.4 yards, the league’s sixth-highest rate. But that came on just 18 returns.
• Pittsburgh converted six two-point conversions in 2023, tied for league lead with the Texans and Patriots. The Steelers also allowed six two-point conversions. Four teams allowed more.

*All stats are regular season only unless specified