Suspension; has been suspended definitely his not playing for steelers due to…..
Kicker Chris Boswell bets $2 million on his Steelers career
His horrific season kicking a football for the Steelers last year has not cost Chris Boswell his job. At least not yet.
The Steelers convinced Boswell to delay the $2 million roster bonus they were due to pay him in March. It is now due with the first game of the regular season. So, they will have all this spring and all of training camp and preseason games to determine whether they still want him to kick for them.
Boswell had little choice. It was either agree to move the bonus back or be released. He also is due a $1 million salary this season.
Right now, his only competition in spring practices is undrafted rookie Matthew Wright of Central Florida, a native of Lancaster, Pa. But if Boswell does not perform well in the preseason and the Steelers decide to release him, they likely would hold tryouts for other kickers.
Then it fell apart in 2018, costing them three or four victories in a season in which one more win would have given them the AFC North division championship instead of missing the playoffs.
He had always been supreme under pressure too, sending the Steelers to victory four times with late-minute kicks in 2017, sending a fifth into overtime in a game they would lose. Last season, it all turned sour.
Now comes the added pressure of kicking for $3 million, kicking for his very career, to prove himself all over in these spring practices, in training camp and in exhibition games.
“I mean, I know I got to be better than last year but I’m not even paying attention to last year,” Boswell said.
“I have an appreciation for everything. Just still being here is a blessing and just being in this sport and this industry is a blessing in general. As long as they’ll have me here I’m going to keep kicking and swinging. … We’re here day to day, week to week, game to game. No one’s locked in so I’m just here as long as they’ll have me. I’m here for the next practice, the next kick. That’s all I’m focused on.”
And the competition?
“No matter who’s out here it’s me versus me. It’s not me versus anybody, and as long as I can conquer that it should be pretty good.”
He lost that competition last season, but he still has his job. For now.
