The Pittsburgh Steelers were able to clinch a spot in the postseason by winning the AFC North. The team could not have done that without taking down the Baltimore Ravens at home in Week 18, as the game was essentially a playoff matchup as the winner would move on to the postseason as the four-seed, and the loser's season would come to a close. It looked like the Steelers were going to lose the game at the end, but Baltimore's rookie kicker Tyler Loop shanked a makable field goal which handed the Steelers the win and a spot in the playoffs.
Jared Wickerham / Pittsburgh Steelers
Baltimore Ravens kicker, Tyler Loop, misses the a game-winning field goal wide right in Week 18 of the 2025 NFL regular season.
It was a tough ending for Loop's rookie season, and it is something that he is going to have to think about throughout the offseason. It is always tough to see a kicker miss in a spot like that, but unfortunately, it is part of the game. It looked like Chris Boswell would be the kicker having a rough offseason after he missed an extra point to give the Steelers just a two-point lead with under a minute remaining, but Loop's miss saved the Pittsburgh kicker. Boswell immediately went up to Loop after his miss and talked with the rookie, and Brooke Pryor shared his message on X.
Boswell on Loop: “Anybody can go through it. I just kind of wanted to give him that from someone who's been there. There's always a light at the end of the tunnel type thing. He knows this, but it's up to him and he just got to move on and it's about the next kick.” https://t.co/HuXIvQJknJ
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) January 9, 2026
It has been reported since the game that Boswell's extra point attempt that he missed was actually tipped by a player on the Ravens. That is not obvious on the broadcast, but the kick attempt has officially been recorded as a block. This alleviates some of the pain of the miss from Boswell, as did Loop's miss. Kicker's have a ton of pressure on their shoulders in those moments, and it is especially hard for a rookie to deal with.
Mitchell Leff / Getty Images
Steelers' star kicker Chris Boswell kicks a 60-yard field goal to help Pittsburgh take down the New York Jets in Week 1 of the 2025 season.
Boswell has won plenty of games for Pittsburgh. He has had instances where the only points the team scores in a win are from his foot, which has happened on more than one occasion. He has built up a reputation for being extremely good at his job and clutch when he needs to be. Loop has not done that yet as he is only a rookie, which can make this miss extra difficult to deal with.
Boswell spoke more with Pryor about the miss for Loop.
"When we fail, it's in the public eye for everybody to see," Boswell said. "I just wanted to run over to him and let him know, a kick is a kick. Got to move past it.”
The Pittsburgh's kicker mainly spoke with Loop about moving on and focusing on the next kick, which is much easier said than done considering Loop has about eight months until he will be on a field kicking balls again. Hopefully the young player can move on fast, but the fan base in Pittsburgh is going to be forever grateful for his miss in such an important moment.
Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (X: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Steelers kicker Chris Boswell (9) during 2025 training camp in Latrobe, PA.
Steelers' Chris Boswell Is Going Through An Unprecedented Rough Stretch
Boswell has been one of the most reliable kickers in the league for the past decade, but the 2025 season has not been his best. He has missed more field goals than usual, and he even missed one in Week 17. That plus the missed extra point in Week 18 is not what the fan base wants to see with the playoffs right around the corner. Hopefully the kicker can turn things around as the team heads into the postseason.
What do you think about Boswell's message to Loop? Let us know in the comments below!
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