Trade chatter and contract standoffs are part of the Steelers’ offseason menu, but this one’s got a little extra bite. Chris Boswell, the “Wizard of Boz” himself, has quietly been making moves behind the scenes. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the veteran kicker has been pushing for a new deal but isn’t spilling the beans in public. When reporters pressed him about a possible hold-in, he brushed them off, saying, “No, because I know what you want to ask me about.”

Meanwhile, he’s not the only one in Pittsburgh’s locker room looking for a fresh payday. Cam Heyward is in the same boat. Boswell, despite his accolades, sits as the NFL’s eighth-highest-paid kicker at $5 million a year, with a deal that runs through 2026. For comparison, Kansas City Chiefs’ Harrison Butker sits atop the league’s kicker money list at $6.4 million annually.

Both Boswell and Heyward earned first-team All-Pro last season. Boswell’s 2024 campaign was nothing short of surgical—he nailed 41 of 44 field goal attempts, just three shy of David Akers’ 2011 single-season record. That near-record year is exactly why former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is raising his voice. In Big Ben’s view, GM Omar Khan needs to stop dragging his feet and pay the man.

In fact, Roethlisberger didn’t mince words when speaking on Channel Seven. “He’s the third-highest-paid kicker in the AFC North. You realize there’s four teams? He’s the best kicker in the game,” he said. Big Ben stressed it wasn’t just hometown bias — Boswell’s numbers speak for themselves. “That’s not arguable. You can Google it. He should be paid like the best.”

And honestly, the stats back him up. Boswell was lethal from deep, hitting 13 of 15 kicks from 50+ yards and going a perfect 35-for-35 on extra points. His consistency earned him AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors twice and the monthly award in both September and October. You don’t rack up that kind of hardware by accident.

So, as the Steelers’ HoF Ben Roethlisberger summed it up, Boswell isn’t out here grandstanding — he’s just doing his job, sinking putts on the golf course, and banging footballs through uprights like clockwork. “Pay that man,” Big Ben insisted. And if you ask him, Boswell deserves at least a million more than whatever the NFL’s lowest-paid quarterback is making. In Pittsburgh’s eyes, those points add up — and so should his paycheck.

Omar Khan isn’t ready to embrace Ben Roethlisberger’s suggestion

Despite Ben Roethlisberger’s advice, in typical Steelers fashion, Omar Khan is keeping everything in-house. While Jerry Jones can’t help but stir the pot whenever Micah Parsons’ contract comes up, Khan is steering clear of public debates. “I’m not gonna get into contractual,” Khan told 102.5 DVE. “As you guys know, we’re not gonna discuss contractual issues. I’ve known those guys for a long time, and I’m confident saying that those guys wanna be world champions. And that’s what we’re seeking. That’s what we all want.” For Khan, the mission is still about rings, not press soundbites.

It seems Pittsburgh has its own set of rules. The Steelers don’t hand out extensions to non-quarterbacks two years before a contract expires — and Boswell’s current deal runs through 2026. That said, there’s wiggle room. They could shift some of his 2026 money into 2025, give him a short-term bump, and work out a full extension next summer. With Boswell’s track record, it’s hard to see them letting this drag on much longer.

However, head coach Mike Tomlin’s respect for his kicker is no secret. “I love Boz, and I’m tired of him getting player of the week,” Tomlin joked after Boswell went 6 of 6 in an 18-16 win over the Ravens last season. “He’ll probably get player of the week again this week. He is deserving of it, but it reminds us of our warts. It reminds us of the work that we need to do. But no doubt I’m thankful that he’s on our team.”

And those six makes weren’t just another game. That performance was the third time in Boswell’s career he’s gone perfect on six field goals — the most in NFL history. Add in a six-FG playoff game against the Chiefs in 2016, and he’s in rare air alongside John Carney as the only kickers with multiple six-point field goals in a season.

Ultimately, Tomlin summed it up best: “He’s been everything that we need him to be.” So, whether Pittsburgh chooses to hold the line or reward two of its longest-tenured stars, the outcome will speak volumes. Stay tuned for more updates!