It's a topic that comes up often on message boards and in bars: What's the toughest position to play in all of sports.
Some would say goalie in any of the sports that require the position. Others would say pitcher, catcher or quarterback.
But there's one position that's often overlooked in such discussions. When it comes to playing football, no position might be tougher than being a punt returner.
Cornerbacks are said to be "on the island" in the NFL. But they usually have help of some kind. Punt returners? They're back there all by themselves.
With the improvements in punting skills, games played in elements and the fact there are 11 players on the opposing team bearing down on you while you try to do your job, being a punt return man in the NFL has to be considered among the toughest jobs in all of sports.
"I think it’s a little more in-depth than a lot of people think," Steelers return man Ryan Switzer told me. "A lot of people think it’s just catching the ball, but there’s so many factors that go into it."
The Steelers haven't had a punt returner finish in the top-10 in punt returns since Antonio Brown did so in 2015, with Switzer finishing 11th in 2018 with an 8.4-yard average.
Brown finished in the top 10 four times from 2011 through 2015, missing out in 2012 when he was dealing with an ankle sprain.
But therein lies part of the problem. Brown was the team's star receiver. And most teams don't want to use their star receiver to return punts because of the increase in potential for injury, and because it also can be very taxing on the body.
The Steelers selected receiver Diontae Johnson in the third round of this year's draft -- their second-overall pick -- with the hope he could help replace Brown not only as a receiver, but as a return man.
Asking a rookie to get the offensive reps needed to learn the playbook while also practicing kick returns can be taxing, as Johnson found out in rookie OTAs. It's a lot of extra running, which can take a toll.
"That’s an issue, and I don’t want to bad rep the kid in a sense, but you saw some hamstring issues early," Steelers special teams coordinator Danny Smith said. "Can he? I don’t know. You’ve got to be in tip-top shape. You’re talking about being a wide receiver, a punt returner, a kick returner in this league; you have to be in pretty good shape. That’s a maturation process. I think he has to learn that. I think he understands it. We’ll see what kind of shape he comes back in at. He can do them all. Can he carry that load? That remains to be seen."
And as Switzer said, there's more to being a punt returner than many people realize.
"I try to study just as much film of the punter as I do offensively studying defenses," he told me. "I’ll watch punters. I watch his previous kicks. I’ll watch as many as I can. Like everybody, they have tendencies, as well. They like to do certain things. You try to pick up as much as you can."
Even at that, though, there can be surprises.
After all, punters are good enough now that they have a variety of different kicks. They can do the straight kick in which the punt is for distance with plenty of spin. They can turn it over so it goes end over end. There are rugby kicks, though those are more prevalent in the college game. And in recent years, punters have added a kick on which they turn the ball sideways before letting it fly, adding a completely different spin to the ball.
"Usually, there are some tendencies that punters have the closer they get to the red zone or their end zone," Switzer said. "They try to do the end over end. Now, these punters are doing one they call the banana kick. Some call it a helicopter, where they will turn it horizontal to the field and kick a fat ball. You want to talk about being hard to catch. There are a lot of things you do. You study as much as you can. You try to get a visual. It’s hard being 50 yards back from the punter and seeing how he turns the ball before he kicks it."
And that's before the elements and 11 angry men are added to the equation.
Switzer is an above-average return man. He had seven punt returns for touchdowns in college, including five as a freshman.
Interestingly enough, that freshman year in 2013 was his first ever returning punts. Johnson, meanwhile, has been doing it pretty much since he started playing football.
He averaged 20.2 yards per punt return the past two seasons at Toledo, including two for touchdowns. Johnson said his early days of playing center field in baseball helped him with his punt return skills.
But in his short time in the NFL, just seeing Steelers punters Jordan Berry and Ian Berryman -- who are competing for the job -- has been an eye-opening experience.
"Way different," Johnson said when I asked him how much better the punters are at the NFL level. "The kickers can kick the ball different types of ways. In college, everybody kicks the ball the same. You’ve got to learn how to track the ball, the knuckleballs and what have you. I’m still getting used to it."
According to Switzer, that never necessarily happens. But not for lack of trying.
Throughout the Steelers' offseason program, Switzer, Johnson and former CFL standout Diontae Spencer, who is trying to earn a spot with the team, used a variety of different drills to help them get better.
For example, they would turn their back on the punter and turn only after the ball was kicked, trying to find it in the air and get under it. Or, they would set the JUGGS machine up and have another player toss them a ball after the kick was in the air, then toss it back and find the ball in the air once again.
But no matter what, it's not like doing it in a game. With 75,000 people watching in the stadium and millions at home. And with those angry men bearing down on you.
"It’s not like a nervous feeling. It’s more like a very locked-in focus," Switzer said. "You have to black out all of the fans. There’s a lot of things you have to block out and just lock in on that ball."
And that's before you catch it and run.
It's a very specialized talent. And not one that is for everyone.
"It’s not ever easy. I don’t think so," Switzer said. "Some people are a little more comfortable than others doing it. It’s like anything. If they put me at quarterback, I wouldn’t be as comfortable as quarterbacks are. And vice versa. Quarterbacks wouldn’t be as comfortable as I am returning a kick. You’ve got to master your craft."
It's a tough job. But somebody has to do it.
And the Steelers know they need to do it better.
"We’ve got to be better at it as a unit. But it’s hard," Switzer admitted. "Cover teams are good in the NFL. And there’s not many returns. That’s why (big returns) are so coveted."
Much like quality return-men.
The Steelers showed that in 2018, trading a fifth-round draft pick to the Raiders for Switzer in training camp. They then doubled down when they selected Johnson in the third round and brought in Spencer in the offseason. Add in Eli Rogers, who also has experience returning punts, and they've got a bevy of options.
Considering the difficulty of the job, the more options the better.
"I’d just like for some people just to experience it one time, you know?" Switzer told me. "One time."
