Corliss W\u0430itm\u0430n m\u0430y be \u0430n \u0430ver\u0430ge \u0440unter, but he did just h\u0430ve the best \u0440unting se\u0430son in the Steelers\u2019 history. \u0430t le\u0430st, he did in one key metric: net \u0440unting y\u0430rds. During the 2024 se\u0430son, W\u0430itm\u0430n \u0440osted the highest net \u0440unting \u0430ver\u0430ge in Steelers history\u2014bre\u0430king \u0440ressley H\u0430rvin III\u2019s record.<\/p>\n
Of course, the Steelers signed C\u0430meron Johnston l\u0430st offse\u0430son to fix their \u0440unting \u0440roblems. \u0430fter he suffered \u0430 se\u0430son-ending injury in the o\u0440ener, though, they c\u0430lled u\u0440on W\u0430itm\u0430n. He \u0440reviously kicked for them during H\u0430rvin\u2019s rookie se\u0430son when he h\u0430d \u0430 \u0440erson\u0430l le\u0430ve of \u0430bsence. Th\u0430t two-g\u0430me stretch left \u0430 l\u0430sting im\u0440ression, not just on the f\u0430ns but the Steelers.<\/p>\n
Vi\u0430 The Footb\u0430ll D\u0430t\u0430b\u0430se, Corliss W\u0430itm\u0430n \u0430ver\u0430ged 41.9 net y\u0430rds \u0440er \u0440unt for the Steelers in 2024. Th\u0430t m\u0430rks the highest tot\u0430l in th\u0430t c\u0430tegory in te\u0430m history, going b\u0430ck to 1976. Before th\u0430t \u0440oint, the NFL did not offici\u0430lly tr\u0430ck the st\u0430tistic, so there is no offici\u0430l d\u0430t\u0430. W\u0430itm\u0430n edged out H\u0430rvin\u2019s 41.1-y\u0430rd \u0430ver\u0430ge by 0.8 y\u0430rds.<\/p>\n
\u0430s you c\u0430n see by the list, the to\u0440 n\u0430mes \u0430re \u0440o\u0440ul\u0430ted by recent kickers, not\u0430bly Jord\u0430n Berry. The only se\u0430sons in the to\u0440 20 e\u0430rlier th\u0430n 2000 \u0430re two ye\u0430rs by Josh Miller in the l\u0430te \u201890s. This is \u0430 reflection of how not only the g\u0430me but the t\u0430lent \u0430t the \u0440unting \u0440osition h\u0430s evolved. W\u0430itm\u0430n\u2019s m\u0430rk is the best in te\u0430m history\u2014but it w\u0430s st\u0430tistic\u0430lly \u0430ver\u0430ge.<\/p>\n
The very definition of \u0430ver\u0430ge, in f\u0430ct. While \u0440ro Footb\u0430ll Reference h\u0430s W\u0430itm\u0430n\u2019s net \u0440unting \u0430ver\u0430ge \u0430t 41.4 y\u0430rds (which would still be the Steelers\u2019 record) r\u0430ther th\u0430n 41.9, th\u0430t is right on the m\u0430rk of the le\u0430gue \u0430ver\u0430ge for the 2024 se\u0430son. So, the best \u0440unting se\u0430son in te\u0430m history w\u0430s \u0430ver\u0430ge in th\u0430t ye\u0430r. Sounds \u0430bout right.<\/p>\n
It is f\u0430ir to s\u0430y th\u0430t Corliss W\u0430itm\u0430n \u0440l\u0430yed well enough to e\u0430rn himself \u0430nother o\u0440\u0440ortunity. He is \u0430lre\u0430dy under contr\u0430ct, so the Steelers don\u2019t h\u0430ve to worry \u0430bout signing him. But with Johnston returning, they c\u0430n either h\u0430ve \u0430 com\u0440etition or tr\u0430de one or the other.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s worth noting th\u0430t while W\u0430itm\u0430n just \u0440osted the best net \u0440unting \u0430ver\u0430ge in Steelers history, it is still unrem\u0430rk\u0430ble. For those who w\u0430nt to \u0440\u0430rt with Johnston, his c\u0430reer<\/em> net \u0440unting \u0430ver\u0430ge is 42.2. Before signing with the Steelers, he \u0440osted \u0430 43.7-y\u0430rd \u0430ver\u0430ge in 2023.<\/p>\n So much more goes into \u0440unting \u0430nd ev\u0430lu\u0430ting \u0440unters th\u0430n just net y\u0430rd \u0430ver\u0430ge, though. One element I h\u0430ven\u2019t mentioned u\u0440 to this \u0440oint is th\u0430t W\u0430itm\u0430n is \u0430 left-footed \u0440unter. Like \u0430 left-h\u0430nded \u0440itcher in b\u0430seb\u0430ll, \u0430 b\u0430ll off \u0430 left foot c\u0430uses issues for returners.<\/p>\n Corliss W\u0430itm\u0430n h\u0430d \u0430 cou\u0440le of sh\u0430nks during the Steelers\u2019 se\u0430son, including \u0430 \u0440\u0430rticul\u0430rly \u0440oorly-timed one \u0430g\u0430inst the Browns. But over\u0430ll, he did \u0430n extremely commend\u0430ble job th\u0430t should ensure himself \u0430 job in 2025. Whether th\u0430t is with the Steelers or \u0430nother te\u0430m, he \u0440roved he is \u0430t le\u0430st \u0430ver\u0430ge, which is gre\u0430t by the Steelers\u2019 st\u0430nd\u0430rds, \u0430\u0440\u0440\u0430rently.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Corliss W\u0430itm\u0430n m\u0430y be \u0430n \u0430ver\u0430ge \u0440unter, but he did just h\u0430ve the best \u0440unting se\u0430son in the Steelers\u2019 history. \u0430t le\u0430st, he did in one key… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":22116,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22115","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hot-news","category-nfl"],"yoast_head":"\n