Over time, kickers have gotten better and better. Distances have increased with leg strength able to hit from 60 yards out with room to spare. And field goal percentages have risen over time as kickers have gotten sharper and more technical. Still, what Pittsburgh Steelers kicker Chris Boswell could do this year feels a little absurd.
As mentioned in our recent Stats of the Weird column, Boswell enters 2023 with 24 career field goals of 50 or more yards. If he hits just four more this season, he’ll have more such kicks than any other Steelers’ kicker…combined.
Here’s the leaderboard.
Career Makes 50+ Yards
1. Chris Boswell – 24
2. Gary Anderson – 8
2. Jeff Reed – 8
4. Kris Brown – 4
5. Shaun Suisham – 3
6. Norm Johnson – 2
7. Lou Micahels – 1
7. Matthew Wright – 1
In this day and age, Boswell the Steelers’ kicker since Week 5 of the 2015 season, it’s little surprise to see him in first place. But the fact he is just a couple of kicks behind the rest of the group in total, they sit at 27, is still pretty wild.
One reason for the stat has been the difficulty of kicking in Pittsburgh. Heinz Field was notoriously difficult of hitting 50-plus yard field goals in, right on the river with the swirling winds messing with the flight of the football. Even good kickers struggled and eventually, teams stopped trying. But it’s felt a little easier over the years, the open-end of the stadium not quite as open, and Boswell has gotten comfortable.
A whopping 19 of his career 24 field goals from that distance have come at home. His first came in 2015 against the Arizona Cardinals, a game Mike Vick started and Landry Jones ended. Boswell was called upon to hit all four of his field goals that day, including this one from 51-yards out. And it was money.
Funny enough, through his first two seasons, he had only made two kicks at home from that distance. Things changed for the 2017 season when he went a perfect 4-for-4 as he made his first Pro Bowl.
But the last two years have been his calling card. In 2021 and 2022, Boswell’s gone an incredible 15-for-18 from that range. Last year, he was better from 50 yards than he was 40-49. He’s certainly not intimidated by having to kick from distance, home or away. Put it this way, Boswell has more makes from 50-plus yards over the past two seasons than Justin Tucker.
Of course, the goal is for Boswell to kick less often this season. Too many Steelers’ drives stalled out in opposing territory last year, forcing Boswell to come out and try long-range attempts. Points are good, Pittsburgh is lucky to have someone like him, but more touchdowns and fewer of these moments would be ideal for their success.
Still, it’s a number we’ll be tracking. Because it’s downright quirky.
