Without Chris Boswell, and possibly with any other kicker on the planet, the Pittsburgh Steelers walk out of their Week 1 game against the New York Jets with an 0-1 record. He has been money from 50 or more yards in his career, but today, he upped the ante with a career-high 60-yard field goal to win the game.
Some head coaches might have conversations with their kicker about an ideal yard line to get to on any given day. Not Mike Tomlin and Chris Boswell. Boswell has earned Tomlin's implicit trust.
"We've never talked distance in 11 years of being here. If he calls it, I run out there and kick it. And if he calls punt, we punt it," Boswell said via KDKA Extra Point after the game.
Tomlin described Boswell as a "serial killer" in his postgame press conference, a gruesome expression to convey how cold-blooded he is in pressure situations.
"That one he made in the first half, I don't even know if he looked at me," Tomlin said via the Steelers' YouTube. "When it went to fourth down, he just walked out on the field."
It wasn't that long ago in the NFL that nailing field goals over 50 yards was unheard of. Times are changing, and Boswell serves as the best example of that with an almost automatic leg from 50-60 yards.
The 60-yard field goal was a new height for him, breaking his previous record in a game. Simply breaking his own record was impressive, but the circumstances made it all the more iconic -- a game-winner on the road to open the season.
He was asked if those moments ever get old after the game.
"I think if it ever got old that's when I'm going to retire," Boswell said. "Great feeling, and we had a great stop by the defense on the other side of that as well."
Boswell wasn't the only reason the Steelers won today. But without him it would have been impossible.
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