Before Oct. 3, few if any Steelers fans knew who Chris Boswell was. Now Boswell is a household name in Pittsburgh and maybe even around the NFL. Boswell was signed by the Steelers to replace Josh Scobee, and now Boswell is making his case to stay on the squad.
But what about Shaun Suisham? Suisham fell to an ACL injury in the Pro Football Hall of Fame game in Canton, Oh. on Aug. 9. Suisham’s injury led to the Steelers placing him on the season-ending injured reserve list and had the team signing former New Orleans Saints kicker Garrett Hartley. However, Hartley was injured himself, and the Steelers traded for veteran and former Jacksonville Jaguars kicker Scobee.
However, Scobee was less than impressive and was released on Oct. 3. That same day, the Steelers signed Boswell, who was a free agent. Boswell spent little time with the New York Giants last season and this season before coming to the Steelers. Before his NFL career in general, he kicked at Rice University in Texas.
Now, with the Steelers, Boswell is kicking tremendously. Since making his NFL debut on Oct. 12 against the San Diego Chargers, he has made 17 out of 18 field goals, with his conversion percentage being 94.4. Boswell is eighth out of all the kickers in the league in field goal percentage. As for his extra points, he has made 11 out of his 12 attempts.
All of Boswell’s success begs a big question: What is going to happen when Suisham is healed? Suisham has had his best kicking stretch in the NFL with the Steelers, even having a career season last year. For Boswell, his contract is only one year, while Suisham was signed to a four-year extension in August 2014.
Suisham also hasn’t really had the opportunity to test the new extra point. Suisham went out during the first preseason game of the year, a mere few weeks after the rule change was announced by the NFL. However, with many kickers missing the new extra point and Boswell being one of the few to only miss one, Boswell has a huge advantage in that matter.
Suisham has the advantage with experience, though. Sometimes for players that’s an advantage and a disadvantage. Suisham has completed 12 seasons in the NFL, while Boswell is only in his first. However, Suisham is 33-years old while Boswell is only 24-years old. Will the Steelers go with their younger kicker?
Only time will tell to see what happens between Suisham and Boswell. Ultimately, it is the decision of head coach Mike Tomlin and general manager Kevin Colbert. However as for now, as Suisham continues his rehabilitation on his knee, Boswell will keep kicking field goals and will do so Sunday against the visiting Indianapolis Colts.
