Let's get to it:
ROD KEEFER FROM EDMOND, OK: What a huge game for Chris Boswell. Do you know if he did any punting in college or high school?
ANSWER: Chris Boswell attended college at Rice University, and he appeared in 51 games during the 2010-13 seasons. In 2011, he punted once for 38 yards. In 2012 he averaged 40.5 yards on 14 punts. Boswell left Rice having converted 75.6 percent of his field goal attempts and 95.3 percent of his extra points.
DAN MELCHIOR FROM SAN DIEGO, CA: I assume Chris Boswell set a few Steelers records and maybe NFL records in Sunday's game against Atlanta. Can you enlighten us?
ANSWER: According to Steelers PR, Chris Boswell set franchise records by going 6-for-6 on field goals, by making 3 field goals of 50-plus yards, and by making 5 field goals of 40-plus yards. According to the FOX broadcast, Boswell, who has converted 33-of-40 career field goals of 50-plus yards (82.5 percent) during his career, is the most accurate placekicker in NFL history from that distance. Baltimore's Justin Tucker, by comparison, has converted 58-of-86 from 50-plus yards for a success rate of 67.4 percent.
- Download and listen to the Ask & Answered Podcast here: Apple Podcast | Spotify
JOE ASHER FROM TAMPA, FL: So amazing to have football back and the Steelers delivered an opening day win. I saw Troy Fautanu was a full participant in practice on Thursday and Friday, but I didn't see him in the game. I saw Payton Wilson make a nice tackle near the goal line. Seems like Zach Frazier was in for the whole game. Can you speak to the performance of these and any other rookies who saw playing time?
ANSWER: Troy Fautanu was the eighth offensive lineman in uniform for the opener, and he was the only one who didn't play in the game. Zach Frazier played 68 offensive snaps (100 percent) at center. Roman Wilson was inactive. Payton Wilson played 24 snaps on defense (43 percent), 17 snaps on special teams (68 percent), and he finished with 3 tackles on defense. Beanie Bishop played 33 snaps on defense (59 percent), 6 snaps on special teams (24 percent), and he finished with 3 tackles on defense plus 1 on special teams. Mason McCormick was on the field for 1 special teams snap. Logan Lee was put on the injured reserve list on the day before the game.
BILL SWANSON FROM BETHLEHEM, PA: If the Steelers where at the cap limit (which they are not) and they needed to sign another player due to injury (such as a punter), is the team allowed to go over the cap limit or would it need to see where it can adjust players' contracts to make space?
ANSWER: Teams never are allowed to go over the salary cap. In the scenario you describe, the team would have to create cap space, most likely through a restructuring of a player's contract, and then sign the guy to fill the hole in the roster.
BETH GOLLMAR FROM ATLANTA, GA: I had the privilege of attending the Steelers' opening game here in Atlanta. Could you explain why the play that resulted in Cameron Johnston's injury penalized the Steelers for holding instead of Atlanta for roughing the punter?
ANSWER: All I can tell you is a judgment was made that Miles Killebrew's holding of the Atlanta player caused the contact with Cameron Johnston, and therefore it was not a penalty for roughing the kicker or running into the kicker. I'm pretty confident there will be some explanation from New York that supports the call on the field, but my opinion is that it was garbage.
MARLIN COBB FROM ALIQUIPPA, PA: If Justin Fields is uncomfortable under center, why put him there?
ANSWER: It's the NFL, and there are situations where it's better for the quarterback to be under center, and Justin Fields is just going to have to learn to become comfortable there if he wants to be a full-time starter in the league. On fourth-and-goal from inside the 1-yard line, for example, you don't necessarily want your quarterback lined up 5 yards behind the line of scrimmage because he's "uncomfortable" being under center.
BRAD SMITH FROM SILVER SPRING, MD: James Daniels' helmet looks like he's wearing a smaller version of a Guardian Cap. What's the reason behind this and does this require some special permission from the league?
ANSWER: What James Daniels is wearing is a version of the Guardian Cap helmet cover, and the reason he chooses to wear it is for his own safety. The NFL allows players to choose that option, and Daniels is taking advantage of that.
DANIEL GROSS FROM AUGUSTA, WV: Is there any chance of Kenny Pickett returning to the Steelers lineup, considering he will probably never get to play for the Eagles?
ANSWER: I hope not, because I always will believe Kenny Pickett quit on the Steelers.
BOB WELLA FROM PITTSBURGH, PA: I've asked you this before but never got an answer. With Mike Tomlins 15-20 assistant coaches on his staff, why doesn't he have one of them watching the replays?
ANSWER: What makes you believe he doesn't have someone in the booth advising him on replays? Who that is, and what the role is isn't something Coach Mike Tomlin is going to turn into a public issue.
ROBERT KING FROM TILGHMAN, MD: Isn't it kind of unfair to other players to have Russell Wilson being made captain, when he hasn't really proved himself with the Steelers?
ANSWER: Russell Wilson wasn't made a captain, he was voted a captain by his teammates. If his teammates shared your opinion that Wilson hasn't proved himself with the Steelers, then they wouldn't have voted for him. Before the start of the 2023 season, part of an interview I did with Coach Mike Tomlin addressed the issue of team captains. I hope this may help you understand the process a bit better:
Q. Generally speaking, how do teammates view the person in that captain role?
A. It can say a lot of things. I've never tried to define "captain" for the guys. I simply hand out ballots, and I tell them him to put whoever's name they think is worthy, and I really don't put a limit on the number of names. It's really telling. Some guys see captains as really good players, guys who make a significant amount of plays for us. Some guys view the older guys in a leadership capacity or a combination of production and experience. Some guys base it on how guys conduct themselves, their approach to business, and that has nothing to do with the number of plays that you make or all your years on the job. And so it's usually a combination of those three variables from an individual's perception. That's been my experience, but I've never tried to frame it.
Q. On defense, there are two captains – Cam Heyward and T.J. Watt. Does that mean the vote was tied?
A. No. To be quite honest with you, anytime somebody gets more than 25 votes, in my mind they're worthy of being a captain. That's why sometimes we might have six, sometimes we might have five, sometimes we might have four. The number of votes speaks to me. Twenty-five or more is worthy of being recognized in that way.
ERIC CHRISTOPHER FROM PHOENIX, AZ: After all of the offseason hype surrounding the new kickoff rule, do you think Roger Goodell and all of the owners cringed when Kansas City just blatantly booted the ball out of the end zone for the opening kickoff of the first regular season game?
ANSWER: I would contend the overriding emotion of Kickoff Weekend with respect to the new kickoff rule came when Arizona's DeeJay Dallas returned a kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown, which the NFL now can contend "proves" that the new kickoff rules haven't eliminated excitement from the play.
