PITTSBURGH – In a league where highlight plays often drown out the quieter contributions, where explosive touchdowns dominate headlines and defensive storms steal the spotlight, there exists a role that rarely receives the attention it deserves. Yet week after week, the Pittsburgh Steelers have benefited from a level of excellence so steady, so precise, and so quietly flawless that it has become one of the most important foundations of their season.
The story is not about a wide receiver turning heads or a pass rusher terrorizing quarterbacks. It is about the man who scores points one careful swing at a time. It is about the specialist who has been perfect in every sense of the word through eight weeks of play.
This is the story of Chris Boswell, the Steelers veteran kicker, who has delivered the kind of season most teams can only dream of.
Perfection by the Numbers
So far this season, Chris Boswell is a perfect 11 of 11 on field goals and 28 of 28 on extra point attempts. That is one hundred percent on every kick taken this year. No misses. No blocks. No slips. No nerves.
In a league where kickers regularly face swirling winds, chaotic snaps, late game pressure, and unexpected defensive shifts, perfection is not common. It is not normal. It is not something to be taken lightly.
Boswell has not just been good.
He has been elite.
He has been automatic.
He has been the definition of reliability.
Every time the Steelers have needed him, whether it be a long field goal early in a game or a routine extra point following a touchdown, Boswell has delivered with the same calm and consistent motion he has shown throughout his long career.
But there is more to this story than the kicker alone.
The Value of the Specialists Behind the Specialist
Kicking perfection is never accomplished by a single individual. It is the product of a unit. The snap, the hold, and the kick must form a three step routine that is executed with machine like precision. One misfire from any of those pieces can throw off timing, rotation, or trajectory.
This offseason, the Steelers made a move that flew under the radar. It did not generate the buzz of a star signing. It did not dominate offseason debates. It was not even considered a major headline among the league analysts.
The Steelers signed long snapper Rick Lovato, a veteran specialist whose entire craft is built around precision and consistency. And so far, that decision has proven to be one of the smartest and most impactful moves of the season.
Lovato enters the year tied for the fifth best long snap rating in the league at 86, a number that reflects years of mastering an art form that most fans never think about until it goes wrong. A bad snap can swing a game. A perfect snap keeps everything clean and crisp.
Boswell’s perfect kicking season is a reflection of his talent. But it is also a direct reflection of Lovato’s quiet excellence.
Chemistry Built on Trust
For a kicker, trust in the long snapper is everything. Trust that the ball will arrive exactly where it should. Trust that the velocity will be the same every time. Trust that there will not be a high snap, low snap, wobble, or delay.
Consistency from the long snapper reduces stress. It eliminates variables. It allows the kicker to focus entirely on rhythm and execution.
Since Lovato’s arrival, that component of Pittsburgh’s special teams has transformed from stable to elite.
The chemistry between Boswell and Lovato is evident. The timing is smooth. The holds are clean. The process looks effortless, which is always the mark of exceptional preparation.
And while Boswell is the one delivering points on the scoreboard, Lovato is the one delivering the ball that makes those points possible.
Momentum Through the Hidden Phase
Special teams is the hidden third of football. It does not have the glamour of offense or the ferocity of defense, but it decides games. It shifts momentum. It stabilizes drives. It rescues stalled possessions. And in the Steelers case, it has been one of the most consistent strengths of the entire season.
Boswell’s perfect record means the Steelers never leave points on the field. Every drive that reaches scoring range equals guaranteed points. That level of reliability changes play calling. It affects clock management. It alters strategies for both teams.
When an offense knows that three points are secure, it plays differently. It can take calculated risks on third down. It can stretch the defense. It can trust its decision making.
When an opponent knows the same thing, pressure builds on their side of the ball. They cannot assume a break. They cannot hope for a missed kick. They must play with the understanding that every mistake will be punished.
Boswell’s perfection has created stability. Stability has created confidence. Confidence has created momentum.
And that momentum is carrying the Steelers through a critical stretch of the season.
The Leadership of a Veteran
Chris Boswell is not the loudest voice in the locker room. He is not the face of the franchise. But he is one of the most respected players on the roster. His preparation, professionalism, and ability to come through in pressure moments has shaped his legacy over the years.
This season feels like an extension of that legacy.
He is the veteran who does not need the spotlight. He is the constant. The anchor. The steady hand guiding the special teams unit with the same calm presence he has displayed throughout his career.
Players feed off consistency. They rally behind it. And Boswell gives the team a sense of assurance that is invaluable.
The Unsung Hero Who Makes It All Possible
Rick Lovato deserves recognition. His signing was strategic. It was intentional. It was rooted in understanding that the smallest details can define entire seasons.
Lovato has already justified the move.
His snaps are crisp.
His timing is impeccable.
His partnership with Boswell is seamless.
Together, they have created the most efficient special teams operation the Steelers have had in years.
The Final Word
As the Steelers continue their push through the season, every point matters. Every kick matters. Every detail matters.
Chris Boswell remains perfect.
Rick Lovato remains elite.
And together, they represent a phase of the game that often goes unnoticed but never goes unused.
In a season filled with changing narratives, rising stars, and evolving identity, one truth remains clear.
The Steelers know they can count on their kicker.
And their kicker knows he can count on his snapper.
That is how perfection is built.
– Forged In Steel Times
