Ben Sauls ‘Stoked’ For Steelers Opportunity, Learning from Boswell

PITTSBURGH — Regarded as one of the top kickers coming out of college this year, the opportunities were endless for Ben Sauls.

The five-year Pitt product returned home to Tipp City, Ohio days prior to the 2025 NFL Draft as he awaited his landing spot. It turned out that he was headed right back to the place he crafted his game and was so familiar with after signing as an undrafted free agent with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

BETTER CALL SAULS 📞

Ben Sauls is staying in the Steel City and heading to the @steelers ✍️

Good luck, @bsauls22 👏#H2P ➡️ @NFL pic.twitter.com/Tfb6xyrDkH

— Pitt Football (@Pitt_FB) April 27, 2025

“I was stoked,” Sauls said Saturday at the Steelers rookie minicamp about signing with the organization. “I pretty much moved back home Thursday, two Thursday’s ago — whenever the draft was. I really didn’t expect to come back, but I was more than happy that Sunday to pack the car again and come right back to where I was at. I’m excited. I’m anticipating a lot of good things happening. The familiarity is another advantage in my pocket here, but it’s time to get to work and get better.”

Sauls joins a Steelers franchise that boasts one of the top kickers currently in the league in veteran Chris Boswell. A season ago, Boswell connected on 41-of-44 field-goal attempts and nearly perfect from 50-yards or more with 13-of-14 makes.

Kicking on the same practice field for years and on the same grass inside Acrisure Stadium — or Heinz Field as Sauls still likes to call it, the two have crossed paths a handful of times. Now, Sauls is looking to further that connection as he breaks into the league.

“We both appreciate the fact that we are both kickers here in Pittsburgh and at Heinz. We’ve chatted a couple times. Not to an extensive amount just to say what’s up every once in a while. I’m excited to build that relationship and mentor me if that’s available, of course. At the end of the day, we’re here, we got a job to do and we got to do it,” Sauls said.

Boswell holds the longest field goal at Acrisure Stadium with a 59-yarder back in 2022. Sauls came up one yard short of tying the mark with a 58-yarder this fall against California, which set a Pitt program record.

All those kicks are now behind Sauls as he looks forward to an NFL career.

“That’s always part of the resume — that 58 was a big-time kick for me, but now it’s in the past,” he said. “That could be the next kick. It could be a 25-yarder, it could be a 58-yarder; hopefully it’s 60. It’s about a clean slate, starting new and building myself up from here. I got a good foundation to do it, and I’m excited to do it.”

Back in Pittsburgh, the familiarity has allowed Sauls to settle back in with ease and that has even meant friendly encounters with Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi.

Steelers K Ben Sauls on if he’s talked to Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi since making the move to the other side of the building:

“Yeah, there was a Bruster’s ice cream truck outside a couple days ago, I saw Coach out there. He always gets a scoop.“

🍦🍦🍦 pic.twitter.com/DTzw2ypqlT

— Amanda Godsey (@AmandaFGodsey) May 10, 2025

“There was a Bruster’s ice cream truck outside a couple days ago. I saw coach out there. He always gets a scoop, so I went out there and hung out with him a little bit. It was good,” Sauls said.

A Steelers’ reporter then followed up with, ‘Did he buy one for you?’

“No, but he probably owes me one,” Sauls said laughing.

As Sauls completes Steelers rookie minicamp, he looks to stay with the organization, but he certainly will find himself on a NFL roster regardless.

The left-footer knocked through six 50-yard field goals during his final season at Pitt in 2024, including a pair from 57 and the aforementioned 58-yard make. In total, he connected on 21-of-24 field goals and a perfect 44-of-44 on extra points. He was selected to the Pro Football Focus All-American team and a Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award Semifinalist.

SteelersNow’s Brendan Howe provided reporting for this story from the South Side.