Steelers' Kickoff Miscue Leads to Seahawks' Touchdown in 31-17 Loss
Rookie returner Kaleb Johnson lets kickoff bounce into end zone; Seattle recovers and builds late lead at Acrisure Stadium
PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Steelers kick returner Kaleb Johnson failed to field a fourth-quarter kickoff Sunday, allowing the ball to roll into the end zone where Seattle Seahawks players recovered it for a touchdown and helped seal a 31-17 win at Acrisure Stadium.
Seahawks kicker Jason Myers had sent the ball to the Steelers after his field goal gave Seattle the lead. Johnson did not pick up the kick and let it bounce into the end zone; the ball was recovered by Seattle and the score was credited to George Holani.
The turnover came late in the fourth quarter and swung momentum firmly in Seattle's favor. Pittsburgh managed a field goal on its next possession, but Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III broke off a 19-yard touchdown run that extended the lead. Seattle finished the game 31-17.
Johnson, a third-round pick out of Iowa this year, acknowledged the mistake after the game. "I just made a mistake. Got to stick to it, move on, and just continue to get better every day," he told reporters, according to ESPN. He added that he plans to work harder as a result: "I just got to get better every day. That's all. That's all I have to say about this. ... I just got to just go in there every day now, and just work my hardest, now even more with a chip on my shoulder."
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin described the play as "poor judgment by a young player." Tomlin declined to expand beyond that assessment in his postgame remarks.
NFL kickoff rules require receiving-team players to field or down a kicked ball that lands in the landing zone — the area between the receiving team's 20-yard line and the goal line — unless the ball is declared live under specific circumstances. Officials ruled the live-ball recovery by Seattle a legal touchdown.
Johnson had seen limited offensive use this season. He received a single rushing attempt against the New York Jets last week and did not record any offensive touches against the Seahawks.
Seattle's victory was built on a combination of timely plays and capitalization on Pittsburgh miscues. The Seahawks extended a lead taken on Myers' field goal by converting the kickoff turnover into points and later converting Walker's scoring run to seal the outcome. George Holani was listed as the player credited with the recovery that produced the touchdown.
The loss drops Pittsburgh further in the early-season standings as the team looks to regroup and address special-teams execution. Tomlin and the Steelers' staff will face questions in the coming days about technique and situational awareness on kick returns as the team prepares for its next game.