Last offseason, the Pittsburgh Steelers made a commitment to improve their special teams unit. Specifically, they needed to upgrade at punter, so they gave Cameron Johnston a three-year deal. A six-year veteran, Johnston had spent time between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Houston Texans. During free agency, when the Steelers came calling, it wasn’t hard for Johnston to decide to sign with them.
“It’s an incredible team, incredible organization,” Johnston said Tuesday on The Irish Steelers Podcast. “Free agency, when the chance came to be able to come to the Steelers, me and my wife and my family, we jumped at the opportunity as quick as possible.
“The history, and just Coach Tomlin and Danny Smith, it was an easy decision to be able to come here. Even though we got injured last year, we’ve loved every moment we’ve been here.”
Johnston has talked in the past about why he chose to sign with the Steelers. He has cited many reasons, including being closer to his wife’s hometown and consulting with former Steelers punter Jordan Berry, a fellow Australian, about the team. It doesn’t seem like he regrets his decision.
That might be a little surprising considering that Johnston’s time in Pittsburgh hasn’t gone great. Last season, he started hot, averaging 51.5 yards per punt through his first two punts of the year in Week 1. However, during that game, he suffered a significant leg injury. That ended Johnston’s 2024 season, putting him on the shelf for most of his first season with the Steelers.
However, Johnston hasn’t allowed that injury to impact him negatively. Last year, he continued to try to support the Steelers in any way he could. Despite being with the team for only a short time, he demonstrated great character.
Also, Johnston worked hard to get back on the field. Suffering such a brutal injury could seriously affect a punter’s game, but reports indicate that Johnston has looked great this offseason. If things continue to go well for him, he should be the Steelers’ punter this year. Hopefully, that gives him a chance to demonstrate his value on the field, thereby improving the Steelers’ special teams unit.
