One of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ best free-agent signings was lost for the season in the opener. Punter Cameron Johnston went down and out for the season in a freak late-game moment, getting run into and his knee buckling under the weight of an Atlanta Falcons player. Unfortunate as that injury was, Johnston has hardly been missed thanks to Corliss Waitman stepping in and stepping up with his left leg.
Waitman has been excellent through seven games as the Steelers’ replacement punter. Productive and consistent, he’s averaging 46.8 yards per punt and 41.8 yards per net. Relative to the rest of the league, neither number is outstanding. But they’re solid and as good as they’ve seen in Pittsburgh.
If Waitman’s gross average holds the rest of the season, it’ll be the third-best figure in team history. It’ll be the best of the post-merger era, only trailing the pre-Noll days of 1961’s Bobby Joe Green (47.0) and 1953’s Pat Brady (46.9). So Waitman is right there with him. Granted, his average could dip as the weather turns cold and fatigue sets in. But so far, so good.
Digging deeper into the numbers speaks even better of Waitman. Per PFF, he ranks at or near the top in the league in several categories, relative ones not as influenced by field position that can skew yardage.
Corliss Waitman’s Rankings
Average Hangtime – 4.56 seconds (5th)
Punts Returned – 37.8-percent (9th)
Yards Per Return – 4.1 (1st)
His hangtime allows the coverage team to get downfield and make plays. In fairness, those latter two stats should be credited to the entire unit, not just Waitman, especially CB James Pierre and SS Terrell Edmunds. Two players not even on the Week 1 roster who have boosted the punt team with their mid-season acquisitions. But Waitman’s hangtime, consistency, and placement all play key factors.
The transition has been seamless for a team that had to scramble to find a season-long replacement after losing Johnston one game into the season. Partially because Waitman wasn’t brand new to the Steelers, having stints and punting for them before. Still, he’s come in and again proven he can do the job at not just a serviceable but high level. As a holder, he’s been flawless and it hasn’t harmed K Chris Boswell a bit, now on track to lead the NFL in field goals and set a single-season record.
The components of a successful NFL season aren’t just about the stars. It’s often found around the margins—the rookie contributing more than expected. The practice squader promoted and holds his own. The free agent signing who didn’t make a splash at the time but is punching above his weight. And guys like Corliss Waitman, the off-the-street replacement who made sure the Steelers’ special teams didn’t miss a beat. Through the first half of the year, they’re the best unit in football.
