For the better part of a decade, Pittsburgh Steelers' kicker Chris Boswell was one of the best players in the game at his position. We knew this team found something special in Boswell's first season over a decade ago, in 2015, and for almost every season from 2019 through 2024, Boswell was money.
But something shifted in 2025. Now, halfway through the 2026 season, the Steelers are facing a Boswell problem in more ways than one.
That's not to say that things won't turn around in the second half of the year. Pittsburgh is back to the drawing board during their Week 9 bye, and the special teams, as a unit, have plenty to work on. But regardless of whether they ultimately improve, we need to take a moment to stop and evaluate what the Steelers are truly getting out of their long-time kicker this year.
Chris Boswell is no longer an 'elite' kicker for the Pittsburgh Steelers (at least not right now)
It pains me to admit it, but we can't pretend that Boswell still belongs in the 'elite' category—at least not as we sit here today. After a bit of a down season in 2025, Bowsell is converting just 78.3 percent of his field goal attempts at the halfway mark of the 2026 season.
The kicker who was always money on long-distance attempts is now just 8 of 13 from 40-plus yards this season (61.5% conversion rate). Boswell is 18 of 23 on all field goal attempts so far this season.
When we compare this to previous seasons, Boswell looks like a shell of himself.
Just two years ago, in 2024, Boswell converted 41 of 44 field goals on the season and was a remarkable 19 of 22 from 40-plus yards (86.4%). Over the past three years, Steelers fans watched Boswell's accuracy on field goals dip from 93.2% to 84.4% to 78.3% in three consecutive seasons. Through eight games this season, Boswell ranks 21st among 32 qualifying kickers in field goal percentage, per Pro Football Reference.
For what it's worth, Boswell is also Pro Football Focus' 20th-ranked kicker among 32 qualifying players with an overall grade of 62.7, as the Steelers enter their Week 9 bye.
And if he doesn't improve in the second half of 2026, we can safely say that the best kicker in Pittsburgh Steelers history is only average at best these days.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are overpaying for past production with Chris Boswell
If this were our only issue with Boswell, that would be one thing. But it isn't. Not only is the veteran kicker offering subpar play at this position, but he's coming with a remarkably steep contract.
The Steelers handed Boswell a four-year, $28 million extension in May of this past offseason, and at $7 million per year, he's tied with Brandon Aubry for the highest-paid kicker in the NFL, per Over the Cap. Boswell's deal also includes $10.5 million in guarantees.
In total value, Boswell is earning over $10 million more than kickers like the Buccaneers' Chase McLaughlin and Bengals' Evan McPherson, who are both 100% on field goal attempts and extra points halfway through the 2026 season.
And while kickers can last a long time in this league, Boswell is 35 years old, and there's no guarantee that he'll be able to recover from the funk he's in.
Worst of all, the Steelers could see the writing on the wall with Boswell. Since 2024, he has regressed in accuracy and efficiency. Yet, because of what he's done for this team in the past, Omar Khan and the front office were willing to overpay for the veteran kicker. Now the Steelers are stuck paying top dollar for at least three more seasons for a kicker who may only be league average.
I'm not saying that there were better options out there, and I don't know how the Pittsburgh Steelers can help recapture the Chris Boswell magic we've seen over the years. But the veteran kicker is already affecting this team in more ways than one. It's time we start talking about it.
Add us as a preferred source on Google