Should the Steelers Be Concerned About Chris Boswell?

Sep 27, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers kicker Chris Boswell (9) kicks a field goal during the fourth quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Should the Steelers Be Concerned About Chris Boswell?

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jobe Morrison | Last updated Oct 8, 2026 8:00 AM ET

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Chris Boswell has been one of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ most reliable players for over a decade, but the veteran kicker has gotten off to an uncharacteristically slow start in 2026. Boswell has made just 7-of-10 field-goal attempts this season, including misses from distances where he has historically been expected to deliver.

Steelers insider Ray Fittipaldo also pointed to that miss during his appearance on 93.7 The Fan, noting that Boswell’s early struggles have put the Steelers in a difficult position.

“The first two were, what, like one was 62, one was 56. So you kind of say, ‘Okay, those are not normal kicks’ … That was a bad miss. The 48-yarder was a bad miss. They were kind of in catch-up mode after that, chasing those points. They had to go for that two-pointer early on. That kind of changed the complexion of the scoreboard,” Fittipaldo said.

Where Has Boswell Missed From?

Boswell’s misses haven’t come on historical “give me” kicks for NFL kickers. For Boswell, though, they have come from distances well within his range. His misses have come from 48, 56 and 57 yards. He also had a very close fourth miss on Thursday night.

It’s not as if Boswell is completely shanking these attempts, either. Each miss has been relatively close, which could suggest that he is just slightly off rather than dealing with a significant mechanics or injury issue.

Boswell has been one of the NFL’s best kickers throughout his career. Slow starts happen, and he has shown more than a capable ability to bounce back from them. One aspect that has been particularly odd to observe, however, is that these sluggish starts have come in seasons when Boswell signed an extension before Week 1.

Boswell’s Concerning Contract Trend?

Sep 27, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers kicker Chris Boswell (9) reacts after making a field goal during the fourth quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

It’s becoming a very odd trend for Boswell that his worst seasons have come after signing contract extensions. His worst season to date came in 2018, when he went 13-of-20 after signing his first extension with the Steelers that offseason. Then, in 2022, he earned another extension and proceeded to have his second-worst season, making just 20-of-28 attempts.

Now, after signing his third extension, Boswell is off to another sluggish start.

What’s the saying? Once is a fluke, twice is a coincidence, and three times is… a trend? It’s a very, very odd trend to observe from one of the NFL’s most reliable kickers over the years.

Boswell’s most recent honors came in 2024, when he was selected as an All-Pro. He undoubtedly still has the talent to make these kicks and put this stretch behind him. He just needs to shake off these early misses.

If there’s a kicker who has shown he can bounce back from a slow start, it’s Boswell. His 87.2% field-goal career accuracy and 60-yard career long provide plenty of reason to believe he can turn things around.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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