Cameron Johnston was supposed to have a potential record-setting year in Pittsburgh. Instead, his 2024 season will be spent rehabbing and watching from the sidelines after suffering a season-ending knee injury in Week 1 against the Atlanta Falcons. On the latest episode of his podcast, Steelers LS Christian Kuntz reacted to the news while expressing confidence in next-man-up Corliss Waitman.
“Sucks what happened to Cam…It happened to such a good dude,” Kuntz said on the latest episode of his podcast. “It’s terrible.”
Johnston was a key free agent addition, signed to give Pittsburgh veteran stability at punter after three shaky years with Pressley Harvin III. With a big and accurate leg, Johnston had a chance to break the Steelers’ 50-plus year record for single-season gross average. But late in the win over the Falcons, a rush got sent straight into Johnston’s knee. Chris Boswell had to finish the game as Pittsburgh’s punter and the team brought in Waitman as Johnston’s permanent replacement. An in-season punter – and holder – change isn’t easy but this isn’t Waitman’s first stop with the Steelers.
“Corliss was here in 2021. We got to play two games together in 2020,” Kuntz said. “We were actually on the practice squad in 2020 when we first met. I’ve known [him] for four or five years now and we’ve snapped together.”
Waitman filled in for Harvin for two games in 2021 while Harvin was away after his father passed away. In 2022, Waitman served as the Broncos’ punter and led the league with 96 boots, making last Sunday’s game in Denver familiar territory. Waitman had a strong 53-yard average though three touchbacks greatly impacted his net.
Perhaps the biggest adjustment is Waitman’s foot. He’s a rare left-footed punter, making Kuntz’s job a little different, even if the expectations are the same.
“He’s a lefty so it’s a bit different,” Kuntz said. “My job, deliver the ball on target, on time. Clean protection. But it’s a hair different. He lines up differently. He offsets.”
Pulling up the tape, you can see Johnston and Waitman align on different sides, meaning Kuntz must snap the other direction. An adjustment after working with right-footed punters but one Kuntz is capable of making, especially since they had worked together years before.
As Kuntz outlined, Waitman being a lefty impacts the return team, too. It’s common to see teams bring in a lefty punter to work out during the week and help the returns adjust to the different spin of the ball. It increases the chance of an opposing returner not fielding the ball cleanly.
No matter who is snapping or punting, the jobs are the same. Snap well, punt well, without any margin for error. And in 2025, Johnston will hopefully be healthy enough to resume his role and do what Pittsburgh brought him in to offer the team.
