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Steelers to try out four kickers today
New kicker?
Barry Reeger/Tribune-Review
Jerry DiPaola is the Tribune-Review high school sports editor. He can be reached via e-mail.
"I looped it right around and headed home," he said.
O'Donnell, a Fox Chapel High School graduate who was cut by the Steelers in training camp, will be one of four kickers at a tryout today at the team's practice facility on the South Side. Michael Husted, who was out of football last season, is among the others.
Husted, 32, spent the first six seasons of his career (1993-1998) with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, hitting 141 of 199 field-goal attempts. He kicked for the Oakland Raiders in 13 games in 1999 and the Washington Redskins for four games in 2000. He was out of football last year and kicked briefly for the Kansas City Chiefs this year.
Kicker Todd Peterson, who was signed by the Steelers in March to replace Kris Brown, suffered cracked ribs Sunday in Nashville, Tenn., and missed two field-goal attempts, giving him an NFL-high nine misses in 21 tries this season.
Coach Bill Cowher was clearly perturbed by the team's kicking situation after a 31-23 loss to the Titans on Sunday, and he said, "I know it's a problem and I need to exhaust it with every option available."
Since he was released, O'Donnell, 26, said he has been lifting weights and running regularly, and kicking at Fox Chapel High School. His parents, Joe and Jeanne, serve as his holders. When the high school field is not available, O'Donnell kicks at a little grass field near his home in Rural Ridge.
"It makes Heinz Field look good," he said. "It has little holes everywhere.
"I've been hitting it real well. I just have to go in and do it (today)."
O'Donnell attempted only one field goal in the preseason, hitting a 28-yarder against the Redskins at FedEx Field in Washington. He also was 3 of 4 in extra-point tries. Prior to joining the Steelers, he kicked for the Amsterdam Admirals of NFL Europe this year.
He has been hoping for a chance to return to the NFL, but he had received little interest until Steelers pro scouting coordinator Doug Whaley called yesterday. The Baltimore Ravens also called, but they were not prepared to set up a workout for O'Donnell.
When the Steelers called, O'Donnell was on his way to an interview at North Dorchester (Md.) High School, where he would have been seeking a teaching job in technical education.
"I called (the school) and said we can do it another time," he said.
The Steelers could sign a kicker and keep Peterson on the roster. Cutting him would accelerate $400,000 of his $600,000 signing bonus onto this year's salary cap, and the Steelers want to avoid that, if possible.
The team has kept two long snappers for the past several weeks and could make room for a new kicker by releasing backup snapper Dan O'Leary. Then, when Peterson's ribs are healed, Cowher could make a choice between two kickers.
The San Francisco 49ers also may be looking for a kicker after Jose Cortez missed a 41-yard field-goal attempt in overtime Sunday in a game that the 49ers eventually lost to the San Diego Chargers.
The pool of available kickers is limited, but it does include Doug Brien, who started the season with the Minnesota Vikings.
Brien was cut by the Vikings on Oct. 23 after missing two extra-point attempts and one field-goal try. The Vikings have replaced him with two players, Gary Anderson, who is a placement specialist, and rookie Hayden Epstein, who is used only to kick off.
An NFL source said the Steelers have not contacted Brien.
