If you are talking about “football guys” like they do every week on The CW’s Inside the NFL, a kicker probably isn’t the first position that would come to mind. At every level of football there is a running joke that kickers and punters are barely a part of the team, off doing their own thing during practice most of the time. That goes to show just how much respect there is for Chris Boswell. Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson nominated Boswell this week and Bill Belichick chose him as the winner.
“As a former kicker myself, I can appreciate him. He’s more than just an ordinary kicker. He’s a football guy,” Johnson said. “My football guy this week is Chris Boswell. Coach, you always saw how big games might come down to key kicks. Who do you trust in the NFL right now more than Chris Boswell?”
Johnson is, of course, joking a bit about being a former kicker, though he is a perfect 100 in field goal percentage. He attempted one against the New England Patriots and made it, so he is one-for-one in his career.
The panel of Ryan Clark, Chris Long, and Johnson each nominate a player every week who embodies the term “football guy” and then Bill Belichick chooses the winner. Clark nominated Detroit Lions RB coach Scottie Montgomery and Long nominated Buffalo Bills WR Mack Hollins. Belichick chose Boswell.
“Chris Boswell kicking in Pittsburgh. There’s been a couple games that they haven’t even scored a touchdown and still won,” Belichick said. I mean this guy, he is a hell of a kicker.”
Funny enough the only other Steeler on the board this season for the football guys is special teams coordinator Danny Smith. It is a specialist-heavy year for the Steelers, but that makes sense when they have the No. 1 special teams unit in the NFL.
Chris Boswell has attempted 37 field goals this season and made 34 of them. One was blocked last week against the Cincinnati Bengals, which isn’t exactly his fault. Another was a 62-yard attempt against the Los Angeles Chargers, and the final miss was in the snow on a long attempt against the Cleveland Browns. Otherwise, he has been perfect.
He has attempted a career-high 12 field goals from 50-plus yards this season and made 10 of them. He leads the team in points scored by a wide margin and has single-handedly won the Steelers two games with their only points coming from field goals.
Chris Boswell is a football guy.
