Nov 23, 2015 5 min read

PITTSBURGH – The bye week would have been a good time for Steelers’ placekicker Chris Boswell to take a deep breath, relax and reflect on what a whirlwind this season has been for him.

When you’ve been released three times in two years before finally winning a job in a high-pressure position such as placekicking, it would be understandable to stop and smell the roses.

Boswell, the fourth placekicker used by the Steelers since training camp, hasn’t taken that approach.

“I don’t really do much reflecting. I just go on to the next week,” the 24-year-old Boswell said. “We kicked a few days last week just to stay on the same schedule. I’m just kicking every day. I don’t really take too much time off. I don’t want to get out of synch.”

In the what-have-you-done-lately world of placekicking, becoming complacent can cost you your job. Miss a big kick or two and you can quickly be looking for your next job.

NFL teams have already used 38 different kickers this season because of injury or ineffectiveness, the second-highest total in the past 10 years behind 2010, when 40 were used. And six weeks still remain in the regular season.

Boswell has been a welcome addition to the Steelers, who are 6-4 heading into Sunday’s game at Seattle (5-5), making 14 of 15 field goal attempts and 10 of 11 PATs.

Had things worked out differently, he never would have gotten the opportunity to stop the team’s revolving door at that position.

Boswell was signed Oct. 3 after Josh Scobee struggled to replace injured Shaun Suisham and Garrett Hartley. Boswell won the job following a tryout at Heinz Field in which he beat out veterans Kai Forbath and Randy Bullock.

“Just do the best you can do,” said Boswell of his tryout. “Don’t worry about what they’re doing. Don’t look at their kicks and try to compare, because then you start trying to kick too hard. Be yourself and do what you can. If you’re good enough, you’ll make it.”

Boswell was good enough that in just his second game with the Steelers, he was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week following a four-field goal game against Arizona. One week later, he nailed his first game-winning attempt, making an 18-yarder against Oakland with two seconds remaining to seal the Steelers’ victory.

He’s done well enough that the Steelers might face a difficult decision this offseason. Do they stick with Boswell or the 33-year-old Suisham, who is signed through 2018 but will be coming off an ACL injury?

Releasing Suisham this offseason would cost the team $3.39 million against their 2016 salary cap and would save just under $200,000 in cap space.

“I like his overall demeanor,” said Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin of Boswell. “He’s an all-business guy – he was in the (tryout) and he has been since we’ve been around him.”

Perhaps that has been the case for Boswell because he has seen the business side of football, a sport he didn’t begin playing until high school.

His father, Rick, was born in Brazil where his parents were missionaries and grew up playing soccer.

“He played soccer all his life,” Boswell said. “So as soon as I was walking, I was kicking. I just kind of rolled into it.”

The Steelers are fortunate he did. As they found with Scobee’s struggles – he missed two field goals in the closing moments of regulation in an overtime loss to Baltimore – the position is very important, especially in today’s NFL.

Fifteen of the top 20 placekickers in NFL history in field goal percentage are currently playing in the league. The other five all have played in the past 10 years. All made nearly 83 percent of their kicks or better. Jan Stenerud, the only placekicker in the Hall of Fame, ranks 97th in all-time field goal percentage at 66.8 percent.

That would get him released in training camp now.

“I feel the bar has been raised for kickers,” Boswell said. “I’m not saying it used to be lower for kickers and that they’re worse and we’re better; it’s just I feel like teams are setting higher standards for their kickers, the ranges and stuff like that.”

Boswell made his first 10 kicks before finally missing but quickly rebounded to make his last four, including the game winner against the Raiders.

“It’s all about opportunity and taking advantage of every opportunity you get,” Boswell said. “You never know what can happen.”

The NFL announced that the Steelers’ game Dec. 9 against Indianapolis will not be flexed out of its 8:30 p.m. start time. … According to multiple reports, wide receiver Martavis Bryant and linebacker Ryan Shazier were not at practice Monday as they returned from the bye week.