Punting in the NFL certainly isn’t the most exciting thing in the world, but it does still provide an immediate impact on the game. One good punt can have the defense attacking like a wild animal, while one bad punt can lead to the opposing team scoring before fans can even blink. Last year, the Steelers saw more of the bad than the good, but it seems they knew that was going to be a possibility going into the season. Drue Chrisman, who was the punter for the Bengals in 2022 and spent a few days on the Steelers’ practice squad in 2021, recently spoke about how he was one of several punters the Steelers worked out shortly after the preseason last year.
On the Tim May Podcast on the Ohio State Football on Letterman YouTube channel, Chrisman talked about how he thought he could have maybe had a chance to punt for the Steelers this past season. Chrisman probably won’t be remembered by many Steelers fans for the cup of coffee he had with the team, but some fans may recall the booming 65-yard punt he delivered against the Steelers in Week 11 of the 2022 season. That game ended in a Bengals victory, dropping the Steelers to 3-7 and pushing them to a low point that they would eventually bounce back from. However, that performance must have stuck with someone on the staff.
“I had a workout early in the year with Pittsburgh and with Arizona. Both of those teams were kind of kicking tires after the preseason ended, kind of seeing who else was out there, kind of creating a short list,” Chrisman said. “Unfortunately, I didn’t get a call back to get a chance for one of those teams later on, whether it was the medical condition or they just didn’t like what they saw that day.”
That medical condition Chrisman mentions is actually why the Bengals cut him in the first place. He mentions in that same interview that he’s had an irregular heartbeat his entire life that flares up now and again. As Chrisman explains, it just happened to give him more issues than usual during training camp in 2023, so the Bengals moved on from him. Whether that influenced the Steelers’ decision not to sign Chrisman last year is unknown. They decided to continue to roll with Pressley Harvin III, which may not have been the best move in hindsight considering Harvin’s inconsistency and struggles.
The Steelers do have a new punter though in Cam Johnston, who actually played at Ohio State right before Chrisman. Sometimes it’s funny how the NFL works, with Chrisman getting Johnston’s job in college and now Johnston getting a job Chrisman may have been in contention for. Chrisman even explains the differences between the two of them, saying that Johnston is more of a rollout style of punter, whereas he himself is a more directional punter.
Hopefully Steelers fans don’t have to watch Johnston punt too much this year, but if they do, they’ll get a good look at that rugby style of punting that Chrisman talks about. Just as well, if Johnston struggles, don’t be surprised if Chrisman gets another workout with the Steelers. He’s currently playing for the Birmingham Stallions of the UFL, so his football days aren’t behind him yet. The Steelers saw how much bad punting hurt them last year, so there will be a concerted effort to improve that facet of their game. Whether that comes from Johnston, Chrisman, or some other punter remains to be seen.
