Chris Blewitt showcased his Chris Made-itt identity Sunday as he led the Pittsburgh Maulers to their first win.
Blewitt, the former Pitt Panthers kicker who signed with the Maulers on April 27, converted all five of his field goal attempts to lead the Maulers to a 21-13 victory over the Philadelphia Stars at Ford Field in Detroit.
He connected on field goal attempts of 46, 50, 24, 34 and 35 yards against the Stars, missing his lone point after attempt, to bolster a largely anemic Maulers’ offense. His five field goals tied a USFL record, which has been matched three times during the USFL’s original run in the 1980s.
Blewitt hadn’t played a professional game since the 2021 season when he started two games for the Washington Commanders, going 2-of-5 with three blocked kicks — making both point after attempts.
He was originally invited by the Chicago Bears to its rookie minicamp after going undrafted in 2017 but found his way back to the Bears in 2019 as a camp leg over the spring. It resulted in another extended absence.
His journey continued two years later as he signed with the Commanders’ practice squad in October of 2021, promoted to the active roster not long after, but he only played in two games before being cut.
He spent last spring with the Cleveland Browns before being cut on May 2, and he got his next chance with the Maulers a few days ago.
Blewitt has had a tough go during his professional career, but after a stellar debut in the USFL, his stock should once again be on the rise. It likely hasn’t been as high since he left Pitt in 2017.
He is Pitt’s all-time leader in field goals (55), extra points (198) and kick scoring (363), and he’s second in all-time scoring with 363 points. He was named to an All-ACC honorable mention after his senior season.
In four seasons, he converted 55-of-79 field goal attempts (69.6%), with seven blocked kicks, and converted 198-of-204 point after attempts.
As the USFL season continues, with the Maulers now 1-2 on the young season, Blewitt will look to showcase his big leg and improved accuracy at the professional level.
