Plays of the Year: Killebrew’s punt block results in safety for Steelers

Steel City Underground presents “Plays of the Year” featuring the top runs, catches, hits and everything else in-between from the Pittsburgh Steelers 2023 season.

Pittsburgh Steelers special teams captain Miles Killebrew doesn’t typically receive much attention from NFL analysts. On Sunday afternoon against the Baltimore Ravens, Killebrew gave his team a much-needed spark of energy when he followed through on a Danny Smith-designed play with great dividends.

The Steelers trailed the Ravens 10-3 in the fourth quarter. The defense was turning the screws to force a three-and-out at the Baltimore 14-yard line. When the Ravens punted, however, Killebrew blasted in and got a hand on the ball. Rodney Williams was able to recover it right on the edge of the back of the end zone, resulting in a safety.

Killebrew wouldn’t take a lot of credit for what many are calling the possible play of the game due to the reversal of momentum it created for Pittsburgh.

“It was a scheme that we’ve been practicing for three weeks. Danny (Smith) drew it up. We’ve been working on it. It just so happened that all of the things that needed to happen for that to be called took place,” Killebrew said following the game. “It has to do with field position, where we are in the game for Danny to call it. He let us go and so we were able to get it done.”

To date, Killebrew has blocked four punts in his career. The block in this game was his third as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers.