The Pittsburgh Steelers knew they had a difficult decision on their hands at the punter position coming into training camp with Cameron Johnston and Corliss Waitman, and the competition surely didn’t disappoint.

Both punters handled themselves well throughout the summer and had some strong moments, but in the end the Steelers ultimately rolled with Waitman, releasing Johnston in the process. 

For veteran wide receiver and gunner Ben Skowronek, who appeared on The Christian Kuntz Podcast Thursday, there’s happiness for Waitman but sadness for Johnston, who battled back from a serious knee injury just to compete.

“They’re both elite dudes and both elite people. Sometimes…whenever it’s a special teams meeting or period, I’m just like, ‘Dang, they can’t keep two punters.’ And I know they’re both great dudes. I’m super happy for Corliss. I know Cam’s gonna be punting somewhere else this year and he’s gonna do an unbelievable job,” Skowronek said. “But I can’t imagine, ’cause like literally during the punt periods, it’d be a 60-yard, five-two [seconds] hang. And then the next guy would go would be a 60-yard, five-two hang. This is unbelievable. That’s two weapons back there.

“So I guess it’s a good problem to have when you have two elite ones.”

It was a good problem to have for the Steelers, something they haven’t had in recent years at the position. That’s what Johnston’s knee injury last season created though, as Waitman remained on the roster after signing ahead of Week 2 during the 2024 season.

Waitman had a strong year for the Steelers, setting a franchise mark for net yards per punt average while also serving as the holder for kicker Chris Boswell in a record-setting season. The familiarity and trust were there from the Steelers, and it helped that Waitman had a great preseason, averaging 53.2 yards on five punts this summer.

He outperformed Johnston, but it was still surprising to see the Steelers choose him over Johnston due to Johnston’s contract. But the Steelers chose performance over pay, and they seemingly made the right call.

That doesn’t mean Johnston can’t play. As an experienced veteran who was sought after in free agency last offseason, Johnston should land on his feet elsewhere. Skowronek has so much respect for him due to the way he battled back from the knee injury and conducted himself.

“Cam’s gonna…like I said, watching him last year, just the way he came into the building every day. Like his knee was messed up, man,” Skowronek said. “He came back better than he was before. And that’s inspiring stuff. But it’s just part of the business.”

Johnston was a big part of the locker room last season while recovering from the injury. Steelers wide receiver and punt returner Calvin Austin III, along with Kuntz, detailed how Johnston still helped out, giving full reports on punters.

It helped Austin have a big year in the return game and earned Johnston even more respect from teammates. Things like that make the decision even harder, but the Steelers couldn’t keep both.

Hopefully Johnston lands elsewhere in the NFL and gets back to punting at a high level.

Check out the full episode of The Christian Kuntz Podcast with Skowronek below.