Steelers Set for One Major Kickoff Return Change
PALM BEACH, Fla. — The entire NFL was coming into the 2024 season flying blind when it came to the new, dynamic kickoff implemented by the league last offseason, but the Pittsburgh Steelers had good reason for optimism they’d be able to hit the ground running with the new play.
Steelers special teams coordinator Danny Smith was among the coaches that helped the league put the rule together, and immediately after it passed last spring, the Steelers signed former All-Pro kickoff return Cordarrelle Patterson to spearhead their return efforts.
Suffice to say, things did not go according to plan. By the end of the 2024 season, the Steelers were dead last in kickoff return average as a team at 23.0 yard per return — nearly a yard and a half worse than the No. 31 team, the Minnesota Vikings.
The Steelers didn’t fare much better on the other side of the ball. They averaged 28.9 yards per return allowed, which finished tied for 25th.
So far, the Steelers have made scant few obvious changes to their kick return units. Patterson remains on the roster, as do core special teamers like Miles Killebrew, James Pierre and Ben Skowronek. Smith is back for his 13th season.
Asked about his team’s performance with the kickoff last week at NFL owner’s meetings, head coach Mike Tomlin admitted that he was hoping for better results.
“I’d like to perform better, but, but I think that we all probably share that posture,” he said. Lack of familiarity probably was a component of that.”
The lack of familiarity could very well continue, as the NFL has modified the kickoff proposal for 2025. The major change is that touchbacks will now come out to the 35-yard line, so teams will be seriously punished for kicking the ball into the end zone. There are also changes to the way blockers are allowed to align.
For the Steelers, Tomlin did announce at least one change. He said he expects newly acquired running back Kenneth Gainwell to return kicks for the team.
Gainwell returned 18 kickoffs for 456 yards for the Eagles last season, a 25.3 yards per return average. That’s far from world-beating numbers — league average last season was 27.6 — but it’s also far better than the 21.8 average that Patterson posted, which was the lowest of any player with more than five returns.
Now, it’s not clear who Gainwell will replace on the kickoff return team. Jaylen Warren lined up alongside Patterson last year. With Warren now likely becoming the starting running back, the Steelers may want to take that duty off his plate.
But either way, adding a talented returner to the mix should be some help for the league’s worst unit in 2025.