Pittsburgh Steelers kicker Josh Scobee has paid the price for missing two fourth quarter field goals in last Thursday’s overtime defeat to the Baltimore Ravens, released by the club on Saturday in favour of free agent Chris Boswell.
Boswell tried out for the Steelers on Friday after Scobee’s nightmare display against the Ravens, who scraped home with a 23-20 victory in overtime.
He becomes the fourth kicker hired by Pittsburgh in 2015. Scobee was released after for a string of performances which saw him miss four of 10 field goal attempts in four games since he came in to replace Shaun Suisham, out injured with a torn knee ligaments.
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin had hinted he would look at finding a new kicker after Thursday’s defeat.
“We have to turn the stones over,” Tomlin said. “We have to find ways to win games. Obviously, that’s an element of it. It was an element of the outcome.”
Scobee had been acquired from the Jacksonville Jaguars in August in exchange for a sixth-round pick.
Scobee was the team’s third kicker after Suisham tore an anterior cruciate ligament in the first preseason game and replacement Garrett Hartley went on injured reserve with a hamstring injury.
The Steelers also tried out former Washington Redskins kicker Kai Forbath.