The Pittsburgh Steelers are arguably one of the most successful franchises in all of sports, not to mention in the entire NFL. However, the Steelers have been in a deep playoff-rut since the 2016 season. The constant criticism surrounding head coach Mike Tomlin is the fact that, although he has yet to post a losing record for a season in his entire career as a head coach, Tomlin has a losing record in the playoffs. Tomlin only holds an 8-9 record in the playoffs and the patience across Steeler Nation is wearing thin in getting back into the win column.
The taste of a playoff victory is rare within the current Steelers’ locker room
The Steelers are an organization who thrive on making strong draft picks and cultivating talent within the depth chart. But in a modernized NFL where championship-caliber teams are ‘bought’ with a short shelf-life, the Steelers will need to follow suit.
Although we’ve seen smart contract extensions for major contributors in the way of T.J. Watt and Minkah Fitzpatrick, those players still haven’t won a playoff game. But with the retirements of Ben Roethlisberger and Stephon Tuitt, the ‘I won a playoff game’ club inside of the current roster is shrinking. Therefore, the few who are left on the team who won a playoff game with Tomlin are going to need to carry the team to their next playoff victory; two players to be exact. Who are they?
Cameron Heyward and Chris Boswell are the only players left of the last Steelers team to win a playoff game.
Steelers' Chris Boswell kicks the game-winning FG over the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2015 Wild Card game. (Christopher Hanewinckel/USA Today Sports)
It may seem weird to think, but it is true. Only Heyward and Boswell are left of the Steelers’ 2016 team who won the divisional playoff game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Ironically enough, these two players are monumental to the team's success heading into the 2022 season. With Roethlisberger and Tuitt now enjoying retirement, Heyward and Boswell are the two longest-tenured Steelers players on the roster and show no signs of slowing down. But how is a kicker and defensive tackle going to get the franchise their first playoff win in six seasons?
We’ve talked a lot about how much of a point-scoring asset Boswell is for the Steelers. Boswell has been one of the most consistent and reliable scorers for the Steelers. Not to mention, Boswell is currently the third-highest point scorer in Steelers franchise history (he’s 142 points behind Jeff Reed). Looking ahead to 2022, the Steelers are going to need to lean on Boswell than ever before.
Although the offense is looking to be rejuvenated with younger, more athletic talent than what they’ve seen in the last few seasons, we may see drives stall out in the red zone and lead to Boswell field goals over touchdowns. While I’m not saying that’s the key to winning, Boswell is going to see more field goal attempts than extra points in the first half of the season than he has ever before.
In terms of the playoffs, here is another fun fact; when was the last time Boswell missed a field goal in the postseason? The answer, he hasn’t. Boswell has a perfect 100% field goal percentage rate in the playoffs. Combined with his made extra points, Boswell has accounted for 63 combined points in the eight playoff games. To put it another way, Boswell single-handily has accounted for over seven points per game in the playoffs. Any team who has a kicker to account for those numbers should consider themselves lucky.
With rumblings indicating a Boswell contract extension before number-one receiver Diontae Johnson, it appears as though the Steelers consider themselves in that ‘lucky’ category.
Although Boswell has been a major point-scorer, a team is only as good as its leader; enter, Heyward.
For someone who considers himself as a draft bust, Heyward has carved himself into one of the best defensive players in Steelers history. Heyward was drafted after the Steelers’ 2010 Super Bowl loss against the Green Bay Packers and entered a defensive line who was amidst a face lift at the time. Heyward welcomed the challenge of being the next-greatest defensive leader the Steelers needed. In doing so, he was voted as the team’s defensive captain in seven seasons.
It is safe to say that a roster overhaul doesn't scare Heyward. But although Heyward has been a defensive force in the regular season, his playoff stat line is a bit mundane. It is for this reason, Heyward is one of the hungriest players looking to win a playoff game; and that hunger is the driver for the Steelers defensive unit.
Even though Heyward has a lot of playoff experience, he never played a single down in the last Steelers playoff run in 2016. Heyward suffered a torn pectoral muscle in November of that season and was placed on season-ending IR as a result. Therefore, the only playoff win in which Heyward played was the ugly Wild Card game against the Cincinnati Bengals. As a 33-year old NFL player on what could be his final contract, Heyward has to be eager in getting a second playoff win under his belt.
It seems to be a common conscientious among Steelers fans of how Heyward is most deserving of a Super Bowl ring before he retires, let alone another playoff win.
Steelers' Cam Heyward and Mike Tomlin on the sidelines during the Steelers' Wild Card loss against the Kansas City Chiefs (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)
It is hard to believe Boswell and Heyward are the only two players left of the Steelers’ last playoff-game winning team, but facts are facts. However, they know what it takes to get the Steelers over the looming playoff-hump and they have the supporting cast to help them. Both Boswell and Heyward are going to be monumental in the team’s success in 2022, but if the Steelers find themselves in the postseason tournament come January, the duo will step up more than ever.
Do you think Boswell will maintain his perfect field goal percentage in the playoffs this year? Do you think Heyward will win his second playoff game of his career? Let us know in the comments below!
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