Ahead of Sunday night’s game against the Green Bay Packers, the Pittsburgh Steelers unveiled a new captain. Inside linebacker Payton Wilson is replacing Miles Killebrew as the team’s special teams captain, receiving the honor after Killebrew suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 6.
Likely due to the short week, the Steelers didn’t have an official special teams captain in Week 7 against the Cincinnati Bengals. But Wilson joined QB Aaron Rodgers, DL Cam Heyward, and EDGE T.J. Watt for the coin toss ahead of yesterday’s loss.
Speaking to reporters Monday, Wilson reacted to the ‘C’ on his jersey.
“Our Wednesday team meeting, they told us in the team meeting,” Wilson said via the team website. “So, just really honored about that. Thanks to Coach Tomlin. Thanks to Miles for recommending me. He’s a great leader. He’s been a great role model, so just hopefully I can fill his role.”
Before each season, the locker room votes on team captains. Because of the in-season injury, it appears no team-wide vote was held. Instead, Killebrew offered a recommendation to Tomlin.
Pittsburgh’s starting inside linebacker, Wilson has also held a special teams role throughout the season. His snap count has increased in Killebrew’s absence. Wilson logged 24 and 28 special teams snaps the past two weeks after seeing no more than 16 before Killebrew’s injury. Throughout the season, Wilson has played on five different special teams units: kick return and coverage, punt return and coverage, and the field goal rush/block team.
Only in his second year, Wilson is ready to assume all the weight that comes with being a team captain.
“I would just say being a leader out there on teams,” he said. “Miles was the voice of everything on teams. I mean, everything we did. Miles broke the huddles down, ran our meetings. Sometimes, certain things like our Saturday punt meeting and things like that. Just taking that stuff over and being a voice in the room when we’re struggling a little bit or something doesn’t go our way.”
Pittsburgh’s special teams have largely been good this season. The coverage units have excelled since a rough first two games. Punter Corliss Waitman could set a record for best gross average in Steelers’ single-season history while K Chris Boswell continues to be the NFL’s best kicker, making three field goals from 50-plus yards in last night’s loss.
The Steelers had plenty of candidates to wear a ‘C’ on their chest. WR Ben Skowronek, TE Connor Heyward, CB James Pierre, and even rookie LB Carson Bruener could’ve assumed it. But it says something that Wilson got the nod as a second-year player with plenty of responsibilities on his plate. Wilson will try to reach the rare feat Killebrew achieved, being a four-time special teams captain. Since 1998, only Killebrew and LB John Fiala have done so.
