The Steelers came in at No. 17 in the annual, 22-category, league-wide special teams rankings that for 40 years and counting have been compiled by longtime Dallas Morning News NFL writer and Pro Football Hall-of-Fame Board of Selectors member Rick Gosselin, which suggests the Steelers were a middle-of-the-pack team in the kicking game in 2023.
But that's not to imply the Steelers' special teams were neither splashy nor impactful.
Following is a look back at five of the most memorable special teams moments from this season:
1-Miles Killebrew, blocked punt, Oct. 8, Baltimore:
The Steelers trailed, 10-3, with 11:18 left in the fourth quarter. They needed a game-changing play.
Killebrew, a safety and the Steelers' special teams captain, made one when he knifed through the line, powered past the attempted block of up-back Geno Stone, extended his right arm and swatted Jordan Stout's punt on fourth-and-16 from the Ravens' 14-yard line. The ball bounced out of the back of the end zone just before tight end Rodney Williams could fall on it for a touchdown. But the safety sparked a field goal and then an interception and then, finally, the game-winning touchdown pass in the frenetic final 10 minutes of regulation.
"That was well-schemed and well-executed," CBS color analyst Charles Davis maintained. "(Special teams coordinator) Danny Smith's special teams unit had that one dialed up and they went for it big."
2-Chris Boswell, three field goals, Sept. 24, at Las Vegas:
The Steelers were particularly reliant upon Boswell early in the season, when touchdowns were hard to come by.
Boswell consistently delivered. His performance against the Raiders was as representative as any. Boswell hit from 43 yards away to give the Steelers a 10-7 lead midway through the second quarter and from 42 yards out to up the lead to 13-7 late in the first half, then came up with a season-long, 57-yard effort that made it a two-score game with 9:28 left in the third quarter.
Boswell finished 29-for-31 on field goal attempts for the season.
His first miss was from 61 yards out on Oct. 29 against Jacksonville (a 55-yard field goal had been negated by an offsides penalty against guard Isaac Seumalo the Steelers maintained should not have been called).
The second was from 45 yards away on Dec. 3 against Arizona.
Boswell also missed one extra point in 28 tries.
His 93.8-percent success rate on field goals tied for the second-highest such figure in his career (2019), behind Boswell's 19-for-20 performance in 2020 (95 percent).
3-Godwin Igwebuike, kickoff return, Jan. 6, at Baltimore:
The description in game book produced for the media at M&T Bank Stadium doesn't do the play justice.
"J.Stout kicks 60 yards from BLT 35 to PIT 5, out of bounds," is the extent of the explanation.
The play involved so much more, particularly as it related to the savvy of the Steelers' special teams it revealed.
The Ravens had just scored to tie the game at 7-7 with 2:19 left in the first half. Stout's kickoff bounced at the Steelers' 14 and eventually settled in the soggy grass at the Steelers' 5 just a few feet from the sideline. Igwebuike, a running back who also contributed on kickoff returns, had the presence of mind to run out of bounds, drop to the ground and then reach out and touch the ball with his left hand while lying on his stomach with his feet still out of bounds before cornerback Damarion Williams and the rest of the Ravens' coverage unit could get there.
Igwebuike's quick thinking created a kickoff out of bounds even though the ball never crossed the sideline and necessitated a flag against the Ravens for illegal procedure and a possession that began at the 40 for the Steelers.
"Smart," ESPN color analyst Dan Orlovsky assessed. "Very well-coached and prepared special teams unit."
The 15 yards gained thanks to Igwebuike's keen appreciation of special teams protocol and procedure tied for the third-longest "play" of the game for the Steelers (with a 15-yard carry by running back Najee Harris), behind only a 23-yard burst by running back Jaylen Warren and the 71-yard, catch-and-run touchdown pass from quarterback Mason Rudolph to wide receiver Diontae Johnson that ultimately won the game.
4-Pressley Harvin III, 61-yard punt, Sept. 18, Cleveland:
The punt team set the table for the defense to win the game.
Harvin uncorked a 61-yard effort on fourth-and-21 from the Steelers' 33 with the Steelers trailing, 22-19, and 9:14 left in the fourth quarter. The ball wound up being downed at the Cleveland 6 by outside linebacker Nick Herbig.
With the Browns backed up, the defense surrendered one first down but quickly made amends and then some via a sack and strip by outside linebacker Alex Highsmith and a 16-yard fumble return by outside linebacker T.J. Watt for what wound up becoming the game-winning touchdown.
Harvin ended up with a net average of 40.0 yards on six punts for the game, but the four tht wound up being downed inside the Cleveland 20 resulted in Browns' possessions beginning at the 5, 9, 1 and 6.
5-Calvin Austin III, 94 punt return yards, Jan. 6, at Baltimore:
Amid miserable conditions Austin consistently tilted the all-important field position component in the Steelers' favor.
His work in the rain against the Ravens included a season-best 34-yard punt return. Austin also registered season-high figures in total returns (five), punt return yards (94) and average per return (18.4).
The Ravens finished with zero punt return yards.
Only the two quarterbacks (Rudolph had 152 yards passing and Tyler Huntley had 146) and Harris (112 rushing yards and 21 more receiving) accounted for more yards than Austin, who had 102 on six touches including an 8-yard carry.
