Pittsburg, PA
My Biggest Concern With Pittsburgh’s New Special Teams Coordinator
Pittsburgh has a punting problem. For years, decades really, the unit hasn’t been sufficient. New Special Teams Coordinator Danny Crossman’s goal is to come in and fix that while improving or maintaining the other special teams units. History says he may fix other aspects, but not punting.
Below is a chart of the average gross punting yards (how far a punt travels before the return) and NFL rank during all four of Crossman’s stints in the head role: Carolina, Detroit, Buffalo, and Miami. Included in the chart is Pittsburgh’s ranking over the Mike Tomlin era, 2007-2025.
The numbers below with analysis to follow:
| Stint | Gross Punt Avg | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Carolina (05-09) | 44.2 yards | 7th |
| Detroit (10-12) | 43.3 yards | 26th |
| Buffalo (13-18) | 43.7 yards | 29th |
| Miami (19-24) | 45.3 yards | 26th |
| Pittsburgh (07-25) | 43.6 yards | 32nd |
Crossman’s numbers in Carolina were good. The rest were not. He had bottom-tier finishes in Detroit, Buffalo, and Miami. Perhaps Buffalo can be excused, given its cold-weather climate, naturally unfriendly to punters. Still, Detroit plays indoors (even with road games in Green Bay and Chicago, that’s just a fraction of the season), and Miami is a warm-weather climate. No matter the venue over the past 15 years, the results haven’t been there.
Pittsburgh’s low finish isn’t shocking. Like Buffalo, punting at Acrisure (and Cleveland, Baltimore, and Cincinnati) makes life tough. The city will always have a disadvantage. Still, there’s no reason to accept finishing dead last in the league over nearly 20 years. Pittsburgh’s punting has always been subpar. It’s why the team’s record holder is from the 60s and not the modern day, like nearly every other NFL team. Washington is the only other team in this situation, thanks to Sammy Baugh’s league record that stood for generations.
How much can Crossman be blamed? He’s not the one on the field. But he evaluates and coaches the position. The results reflect him, especially over such a long span of time, and not a cherry-picked, single-season window. There is a consistently disappointing trend. And it’s gotten him fired in Buffalo and Miami.
Cameron Johnston is currently Pittsburgh’s only punter. Another will surely join the team. Whoever wins the job has their work cut out for them. Crossman must turn around his history – and Pittsburgh’s.