By Jamie Swimmer
Steelers.com InternChris Boswell
Kicker
Rice University
2nd Season
Who is your biggest football mentor or inspiration?The biggest person who inspires me is my mom. My dad had an accident two years ago and everything that she deals with going through that accident, she never left his side – she's still by his side. He's a completely different person than who he was the first 30 years of marriage. They still love each other and are still trying to figure things out, so everything my mom's been through, she's definitely someone I look up to.
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The Steelers signed kicker Chris Boswell, a Fort Worth, Texas native who attend Rice University. Boswell spent some time on the Texans practice squad in 2014 and with the New York Giants during the 2015 preseason.
What motivates you?**
What motivates me in football is being the best player I can be, the best kicker I can be, being a good teammate. What motivates me in life is helping others. Being at this level you can get really caught up in yourself, so always finding others to help, others to talk to and talk about things with."
What is your football mindset?
Basically I just don't care and kick it. I don't think about anything, just let go and kick it.
Why do you play football?
Honestly, I was kind of forced into football by my dad when I was a freshman in high school. But then being successful at something is fun, so then it keeps coming back. The work it takes to be successful is such a process that you have to enjoy it or you'll fall out.
What is your proudest football moment or memory?
When I got into college for football on a full-ride. I don't come from money at all, so if I didn't have that full-ride from Rice I don't know if I would have even gone to college to be honest. I would like to say that I would, but without a lot of financial help college is pretty hard. So taking that burden off my parents, off bills, off of college tuition, books – all that. That led to everything.
When you hear Steelers football, what do you think?
Tradition. You walk on the second floor and see all those world championship trophies and you can't help but to love it, enjoy it, and soak it all in.
What do you like about Pittsburgh?I love the views, all the green and mountains. Coming from Texas, everything is flat – you can't see any of this. Even driving around, driving through the state, I'm still taken away by the views and all the green.
What about the Steelers fans?
Just how dedicated and loyal they are. They expect perfection, we expect perfection. Just the city of Pittsburgh and sports in general, you have to be successful to have a program here and it carries onto the field.
