Chris Boswell built his reputation as one of the NFL's most reliable kickers. Through the first weeks of the 2026 season, that reputation is taking a beating — and the Pittsburgh Steelers are paying the price.
The Rice alum missed a critical field goal in Thursday night's primetime matchup against the Cleveland Browns, a 27-24 loss that dropped Pittsburgh to 2-2. The miss wasn't just costly on the scoreboard — it lit up national media. ESPN's Stephen A. Smith delivered a fiery on-air rebuke of the Steelers, with Boswell's shanked kick serving as a centerpiece of the criticism. On a night when Aaron Rodgers and the offense clawed back to make it a one-score game, Boswell's inability to convert left points on the board the Steelers couldn't afford to leave there.
It wasn't an isolated incident. Sports Illustrated flagged Boswell's early-season struggles in a piece that placed him squarely on Pittsburgh's growing list of problems — a list that, in 2026, has not been short. The Steelers had also needed a late comeback to edge Cincinnati 30-27 the previous Sunday, a game in which any margin for error was razor-thin. When your kicker is a liability in close games, close games become a lot harder to win.
Boswell has historically been the kind of kicker franchises build fourth-quarter confidence around. That trust is now openly being questioned, and in Pittsburgh — a city that does not suffer quiet losing — the scrutiny will only intensify if the misses continue.
Around the League
While the Boswell story dominated the Rice alumni narrative this week, two other Owls made quiet news elsewhere.
Elijah Garcia, the Rice defensive tackle, was elevated from the Cowboys' practice squad to Dallas's active roster — a notable transaction for a player competing for a roster spot in one of the NFL's most-watched organizations. Garcia, who previously started for the New York Giants, gives Dallas a veteran interior presence they apparently felt they needed mid-week.
Luke McCaffrey suited up for Washington's 33-31 win over Seattle on September 27, listed as one of seven active wide receivers in the Commanders' gameday lineup. The former Rice standout remains in the mix at wideout for a Washington team that came away with a narrow road win, though his individual stat line was not detailed in available reporting.
Jack Fox, the Rice punter now in Detroit, was active as the Lions beat the Jets 31-24 on Sunday — a workmanlike performance for a punter on a team that would prefer not to need him often.
The week's throughline for Rice in the NFL is one of opportunity and accountability. Garcia grabbed his; McCaffrey held his role; Fox kept his quiet value. And Boswell — the most decorated of the group, a Super Bowl champion and Pro Bowler — is now the one facing the hard questions. The Steelers need him to find his footing fast. Their schedule won't get more forgiving.
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