The Pittsburgh Steelers faced a troubling situation in Week 1 against the Atlanta Falcons. Their new and highly anticipated punter, Cameron Johnston, suffered a devastating season-ending injury. It was a major disappointment for both Johnston and the team. Steelers fans had been excited about Johnston’s consistency and punting ability, especially after the struggles of Pressley Harvin III during the 2023 season.
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Steelers' Cameron Johnston punts the ball in a preseason game.
Beyond the obvious disappointment of losing a player to injury, the Steelers found themselves in a tight spot. Leading 15-10 with less than four minutes remaining, many fans expected Pittsburgh to receive an automatic first down after what appeared to be roughing the punter. However, instead of a flag on the Falcons, it was the Steelers who were penalized. Forced to punt again, kicker Chris Boswell handled the job in Johnston's absence.
The real tense moment came when the Steelers needed a field goal to extend their lead. With just 28 seconds left, Boswell nailed a 25-yard field goal, but the pressure wasn’t just on him. Wide receiver Scotty Miller, the emergency holder, stepped up in a critical moment. Despite being visibly nervous, as teammate Tyler Matakevich revealed on Christian Kuntz’s podcast, Miller did an excellent job under pressure, helping secure the Steelers' win. Matakevich recalled the moments leading up to Miller having to become the emergency holder.
"I gotta say, that Scotty thing, Scotty killed it," Matakevich said. "But man, if people saw right before he ran out on the field, the last snap, the practice snap that he got on the sidelines -- my man's hands were shaking. The ball came, it was flipped sideways. He's still trying to get it. The laces were facing us."
Matakevich recalled seeing Miller visibly struggling on the sideline just moments before he had to step in as the holder for Boswell on a crucial field goal.
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Steelers' Scotty Miller celebrates a first down.
Holding is a thankless job that rarely gets any recognition, but it’s far from easy—especially for a wide receiver who had experience in the role but hadn’t done it in quite some time. Matakevich described the tense moment and commended Miller for stepping up and delivering under pressure.
"Then the next thing you know, you just hear him scream 'Scotty, let's go.'"
After the game, there was a sense of relief as the Steelers secured a much-needed road win in Atlanta. However, the loss of their new star punter was a major disappointment.
Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin made sure to give Miller credit in his postgame press conference for stepping up as the emergency holder.
Steelers' Mike Tomlin Did A Straw Poll To Find His Emergency Holder
When asked about the situation, Tomlin humorously shared that he had taken a straw poll earlier in the week to see which players had any experience holding. Miller mentioned he had done it in high school, and even practiced it during Thursday's session before the game.
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Steelers' Mike Tomlin smiles while speaking to the media.
Tomlin praised Miller for his readiness, calling his ability to be an emergency holder a significant asset. He also explained that he always asks new players if they have any hidden skills, and for Miller, holding for field goals was one of those underappreciated talents.
This is one of Tomlin’s strengths—he understands the nuances of the game and the importance of seemingly small details. Something as simple as holding for a field goal can make all the difference in a game’s outcome, and Tomlin made sure the team was prepared for that moment. Despite Miller's nerves, he executed the hold flawlessly under pressure.
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