The Pittsburgh Steelers have signed punter Cameron Johnston to a one-year contract, the team announced Tuesday. Johnston returns after spending the 2024 season and 2025 offseason with the Steelers. He injured his knee in 2024 and lost the job to Corliss Waitman during a 2025 training camp battle.
Because Johnston was a free agent, the Steelers were able to sign him right away. Contract terms weren’t immediately released, but it’s likely a cheap contract.
Pittsburgh originally signed Johnston to a three-year, $9 million contract ahead of the 2024 season. He suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 1 against the Atlanta Falcons after S Miles Killebrew collided with him while blocking on a punt. For the rest of the season, Waitman replaced him as Pittsburgh’s starter.
Healthy for 2025, Johnston and Waitman battled in training camp. Both displayed strong performances, but the Steelers gave the nod to Waitman, in part due to his left-footed nature. Cut by Pittsburgh, Johnston appeared in three games for the Buffalo Bills, averaging 44 yards per punt. Injured in a Week Four game against the New Orleans Saints, Johnston was placed on injured reserve before being waived with an injury settlement in November.
He later appeared in one game for the New York Giants, punting four times for an average of 45.5 yards in Week 15. The Giants released him shortly before Christmas.
Waitman was inconsistent throughout the season and is a restricted free agent whom the team didn’t tender. It appears Pittsburgh is pivoting back to Johnston as the team’s starting punter. The team is likely to bring in another leg after the draft as competition and to save Johnston’s leg throughout the summer and preseason.
For his career, Johnston is averaging 47.2 gross yards on 458 punts. Before initially signing with Pittsburgh, he punted for the Philadelphia Eagles and Houston Texans. In 2021, he led the NFL in total punts and yards.
Even under a new coaching staff, his past familiarity with the team helped bring him back to Pittsburgh. Johnston worked with new special teams coordinator Danny Crossman and Derius Swinton II, replacing the outgoing Danny Smith.
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