Pittsburgh Steelers punter Corliss Waitman during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Dec. 1, 2024. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
While the Pittsburgh Steelers moved on from former starting punter Corliss Waitman, it hasn’t taken him long to find a new home.
Waitman has signed a deal with the San Francisco 49ers, NFL insider Tom Pelissero reported. It comes after the Steelers signed Cameron Johnston, who signed with the team ahead of the 2024-25 season, missed most of the season to injury and was eventually released after losing an offseason battle to Waitman, to a new deal.
Waitman served as the Steelers starting punter over the majority of last two seasons. He averaged 41.7 net yards per punt in 2025-26, which ranked 17th in the NFL among starting kickers. Over his two seasons with the Steelers, booting 127 balls, he averaged 41.8 yards per kick.
But while Waitman stepped in for Johnston following his early-season injury in 2024-25, and then held onto the job last season after beating out Johnston, he wasn’t able to hold onto his job entering the new season.
It remains to be seen whether Johnston will be able to be the guy for the Steelers, but after a tough injury and some time away from the team, he’s back as the starting punter entering the new season.
The Steelers signed Johnston to a 1-year deal earlier this month, reuniting with the punter who signed a 3-year, $9 million deal with the team before the 2024 season. A season-ending injury in week 1 of of the 2024 season ended his first stint as a Steeler early, which allowed Waitman to step into the role.
The Steelers signed Waitman to replace Johnston, and the Johnston then went on to spend time with the Buffalo Bills and New York Giants during the 2025-26 season after rehabbing from a knee injury. He averaged 32.4 net yards per punt during his tenure, over just 11 punts.
Over his first six seasons in the league, Johnston averaged 42.3 yards per punt with the Philadelphia Eagles and Houston Texans. He was one of the better punters in the league, which led to his lucrative deal with the Steelers, and he will look to get back to those heights in his age-34 season.
Mentioned In This Article: Cameron Johnston Corliss Waitman Pittsbugh Steelers San Francisco 49ers Steelers