How The Steelers Were Robbed Of Over 20 Years Of Special Teams Dominance In Heartbreaking Fashion

Former Pittsburgh Steelers special teams coordinator Danny Smith is no longer coaching the unit. After Mike Tomlin decided it was time to move on, several members of the Steelers' coaching staff either took jobs elsewhere or were not retained as part of the new staff led by Mike McCarthy.

Smith was a fan-favorite coach around the NFL, thanks to his fiery personality and passion on the sidelines. However, many Steelers fans felt his special teams units didn't consistently perform at the level expected. Clearly, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers didn't share that sentiment, as they quickly hired Smith to become their new special teams coordinator following the end of his tenure in Pittsburgh.

Smith served as the Steelers' special teams coordinator from 2013 through 2025. Now, Danny Crossman will take over the unit beginning in the 2026 season. He inherits a strong foundation, led by veteran punter Cam Johnston and one of the NFL's premier kickers, Chris Boswell.

While much of the attention is on the current special teams unit, former Steelers players Trai Essex and Charlie Batch recently reflected on one of the franchise's biggest special teams "what ifs." During an episode of The Snap Count on Thursday, the two explained why they believe Steeler Nation was robbed of an incredible special teams weapon: Daniel Sepulveda.

"I was just about to say Daniel Sepulveda," Batch said. "A linebacker out of Baylor. If he did not tear his ACL for a second time, I think he probably is on a 20+ year career and is still playing here. A guy who could kick the heck out of a ball. It was just unfortunate that second ACL injury took him out. It took that love of football away from him. That would be one, without question. I'm at that point with him."

The Steelers drafted Sepulveda in the fourth round of the 2007 NFL Draft, when Bob Ligashesky was serving as the team's special teams coordinator. By the time Danny Smith took over in 2013, had everything gone according to plan, he likely would have inherited Sepulveda as his punter.

In fact, both Essex and Batch said they believe Sepulveda could have continued punting at a high level for two decades, meaning he very well could have still been the Steelers' punter today if not for the devastating injuries that derailed his career.

Of course, it's impossible to know whether any player would have lasted that long. However, punters routinely enjoy some of the longest careers in the NFL, making that projection far more realistic than it would be for most other positions.

Essex and Batch watched Sepulveda every day in practice and saw firsthand why the Steelers were willing to spend a fourth-round pick on a punter. Hearing two former teammates speak so highly of his talent only reinforces the belief that Pittsburgh was robbed of what could have been a truly special career.

Steelers Have Lots Of Faith In Cam Johnston

In the 2024 offseason, the Steelers were excited about their new addition at punter. Pittsburgh went out and signed Johnston to a three-year, $9 million contract, making him their answer at the position for the foreseeable future.

Unfortunately, those plans were derailed in Week 1 of the regular season when Johnston suffered a severe injury that forced him to miss the entire year. Now, he returns in 2026 looking to remind Steelers fans why the team was so excited to bring him in, providing the kind of field-flipping punts that can completely change the momentum of a game.

Much like Sepulveda, Johnston's situation is another reminder of how injuries can derail even the most important players at a position that often doesn't receive enough attention.

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