Danny Smith

Danny Smith is in his eighth season with the Steelers as the special teams coordinator. Smith was hired on January 31, 2013.

Kicker Chris Boswell made 29 of his 31 field goal attempts (93.5%) in 2019, including 29 of 30 from inside 54 yards and 10 of 12 from 40+ yards. He ranked tied for third in the NFL in field goals made, tied for fourth in field goals attempted and fourth in points (115). Among NFL kickers with at least 30 field goal attempts, Boswell ranked second in field goal percentage.

Boswell was the only kicker in 2019 that did not miss an extra-point attempt (28 of 28) and connect on at least 90% of his field goal attempts. He was the first NFL kicker to accomplish the feat since 2017 and fifth to do so since 2015, when the extra-point attempt was moved to the 15-yard line.

Since joining the Steelers in 2015, Boswell is 127-of-146 overall on field goal attempts (87.0%), including 43-of-54 (79.6%) between 40-49 yards. He ranks fourth in field goal percentage (87.0%) among all NFL kickers with at least 145 field goal attempts since 2015. Boswell's 87.0 field goal percent ranks second in Steelers history among kickers with at least 30 field goal attempts.

Wide receiver and punt returner Diontae Johnson excelled under Smith's tutelage in 2019. The rookie led the NFL in punt-return average (12.4). Johnson was the fifth player in franchise history to lead the League and first since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger. He returned a punt 85 yards for a TD at Arizona in Week 14, which was the longest punt return for a TD in franchise history. It was the first punt-return TD for the Steelers since December 6, 2015 (Antonio Brown vs. Indianapolis). Johnson was the first Pittsburgh rookie with a punt return for a TD since December 17, 2006 (Santonio Holmes vs. Carolina).

Boswell landed 13 successful field goals in 2018, following a 2017 season where he earned his first Pro Bowl selection after a record-setting campaign. Boswell established single-season franchise records for the most field goals made (35) and total points (142) during the 2017 season, in addition to setting a team record for the most field goals made from 50 yards or further in a season with four. His 35 field goals made and 142 points surpassed the previous milestones of Norm Johnson set in 1995 (34 and 141). Boswell converted four game-winning field goal attempts — kicks within one minute of regulation — during the 2017 regular season.

In 2016, Boswell tied the franchise's regular-season record for the most field goals made in a single game with 6 (12/18 at Cincinnati). Also in that contest, he set the franchise record for most field goals made from 40 yards or longer in a single game (5). Since 1960, his 5 made field goals from 40 yards or longer are tied for the most in a single game in NFL history (Mason Crosby, 11/22/15).

Boswell also set the NFL and Steelers' record for most field goals made in a single postseason game (6) at Kansas City in the AFC Divisional Playoff. At the end of the 2016 postseason, Boswell was a perfect 15-of-15 in his playoff career. He became the first player in NFL postseason history to covert each of his first 15 field goal attempts.

Though Boswell had never kicked in an NFL game prior to his 2015 Steelers' debut, he made 29 field goals and 26 PATs for a total of 113 points in just 12 games. He set rookie/first-year single-season team records in field goals made (29), points (113) and field goal percentage (90.6). Boswell's 29 made field goals tied for fifth on the team's single-season field goals made chart.

Prior to the 2015 regular season, the Steelers lost kicker Shaun Suisham for the season in the team's first preseason contest due to a knee injury. Pittsburgh then went through two other kickers (Garrett Hartley and Josh Scobee) before signing Boswell prior to the team's Week 5 game.

Through his first five years in the NFL and with the Steelers, punter Jordan Berry owns the team's single- season regular season record for highest net punting average (40.9, 2019). He ranks third in franchise history with a 44.2 punting average (min. 100 punts) and second in team annals with 131 punts inside the opponent 20-yard line.

Berry, who recorded a franchise record 40.9 net punting average, averaged a career-best 45.5 yards per punt in 2019.

In 2018, Berry tallied a 38.8 net punting average coming off a 2017 season in which he posted the second-best mark in team history with a 39.8 average.

In 2016, Berry set the team's single regular-season record for highest net punting average (40.2) and became the seventh Steeler in team history to land 50 punts inside the opponent's 20-yard line in their career in 2016.

During the 2015 season, Berry established a Steelers' single-season record (since 1976) for the highest percentage of punts downed inside the 20-yard line (47.5) in 2015. That percentage also placed him third in the NFL.

In 2014, Smith got solid efforts from Suisham and punter Brad Wing. Suisham made 29-of-32 field goal attempts and all 45 of his PATs for a total of 132 points, good for fourth in the AFC. Wing averaged 43.7 yards per punt in his debut NFL season in 2014. His gross punting average was the fifth-highest total in team history for a rookie or first-year player in a single season.

In the Steelers' Week 17 showdown with the Cincinnati Bengals, the AFC North Championship was on the line. Smith's punt return units cleared the way for Antonio Brown to return a punt 71 yards for a TD. It marked the second straight season Brown returned a punt for a TD against Cincinnati.

In his first season as the Steelers' special teams coordinator in 2013, Suisham had a career year, connecting on 30-of-32 field goals, which are a career high and are tied for the third-most field goals made in a single season in Steelers history. His 93.8 field goal percentage (minimum 15 attempts) also set a new single-season team record.

In addition to being selected to the Pro Bowl as a wide receiver in 2013, Brown was also selected as a return specialist. He recorded a 67-yard punt return for a TD in Week 15 versus Cincinnati, which was one of his five returns of 40 or more yards on the season.

Prior to joining Pittsburgh, Smith served as the Washington Redskins' special teams coordinator from 2004-2012. He helped establish Washington's special teams as one of the top coverage and return units in the NFL.

Prior to joining the Redskins, Smith was the special teams coordinator for the Buffalo Bills (2001-03), coached tight ends for the Detroit Lions (1999-2000), and he split duties as the defensive backs and special teams coach for the Philadelphia Eagles (1995-98).

Smith spent eight years (1987-94) as an assistant coach for Georgia Tech, where he coached running backs, wide receivers and defensive backs. He was on the staff for the Yellow Jackets' 1990 team that was named co-NCAA National Champions.

Smith played defensive back for Edinboro State College from 1972-1976, and he was elected to the Edinboro University Athletics Hall of Fame in 2007.

His first collegiate coaching position came as a graduate assistant at his alma mater in 1976. Smith also was a defensive graduate assistant coach at Clemson University (1979), The College of William & Mary (1980-83) and The Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina (1984-86).

Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Smith attended Pittsburgh Central Catholic High School. He coached at Central Catholic (1977-78), helping tutor future Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino. Smith is married to Elaine, of Ambridge, Pa. They have three children, Erin, Courtney and Jason.