New signee Gunner Olszewski eager to fill return role – maybe more – for Steelers

Gunner Olszewski’s path to Pittsburgh went through Bemidji, Minn., and Foxboro, Mass. But it’s where it began that he holds closest to his heart.

“Growing up in Texas,” Olszewski said Monday, “the best way I would describe (it) is as the best place to grow up in the country.

“I love Texas. I always will.”

For the next year or two, though, he has found a new love. A punt and kick return specialist and part-time wide receiver, Olszewski officially signed a two-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

“I am looking forward to just putting on the black and yellow and playing football,” Olszewski said Monday. “No matter where it’s at, whether it’s receiver or returning kicks, whatever I need to do to help this team win ballgames.”

As recently as two seasons ago, Olszewski was deemed the best in the NFL at returning punts, via All-Pro balloting. He has been just a bit player in the New England Patriots offense the past three seasons since making their season-opening 53-man roster as a rookie undrafted free agent out of Division II Bemidji State.

Olszewski replaces Ray-Ray McCloud, who handled punt and kick return duties for the Steelers the past two seasons but signed with the San Francisco 49ers as a free agent last week.

“I am sure that (returning skills) are what they brought me here for,” Olszewski said, “but we will see what happens.”

Newest Steeler Gunner Olszewski on the art of the return and what makes a good punt/kick returner pic.twitter.com/Fq0GSllRzV

— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) March 21, 2022

The 6-foot, 190-pound Olszewski was a defensive back in college. The Patriots, though, saw him as a better fit for offense. He played roughly 10% of New England’s offensive snaps from 2019-21 — missing 12 games because of injury — and had 15 touches (nine catches, six carries) for 159 yards and two touchdowns offensively.

“I played under a lot of good people, the coaching was good and they taught me a lot,” Olszewski said about his transition to offense. “I think I have progressed more than I did when I came in. I had never played the receiver position before the 2019 season, so obviously I think I have gotten a whole lot better at it, and we will see where that goes.”

The Steelers eased McCloud into more of a role on offense over his two seasons with the team, too. But McCloud arrived in the NFL as an accomplished receiver at the highest college level for a national championship team at Clemson.

The Steelers presently only have two proven receivers on the roster, so the opportunity could be there for Olszewski to catch balls on offense. Or even on jet sweeps, a play of offensive coordinator Matt Canada often runs.

Regardless, Olszewski’s primary role will be as a returner. And it’s a skill he studies.

“I’d say it’s a majority instinct. You’ve got to be able to get set up and read punts,” Olszewski said. “The most important thing is catching the ball and securing possession for the offense. But it’s instincts, and it’s gameplan and working with the guys who are on that punt-return unit or kick-return unit and being able to read blocks and run fast.”

Olszewski followed his All-Pro season by ranking second in the NFL in punt-return average (11.9 yards), but he wasn’t retained by the Patriots, who did not offer him a tender and let him hit unrestricted free agency.

For what it’s worth, Pro Football Focus’ grades weren’t kind to Olszewski’s returns last season, ranking him 45th among 47 overall qualifying return men in the NFL — 38th among 41 for kickoffs and 34th of 36 for punts.

The Steelers are banking on a return to his 2020 form, — when he had a punt-return touchdown and when PFF graded him the league’s fourth-best overall returner and No. 1 at punts.

“I don’t think I played at that same (2020) level (in 2021) or else I think I would have been first-team All Pro again,” Olszewski said. “I didn’t put any balls in the end zone, so when you don’t score obviously I didn’t play as good as I did in 2020. So I think what I need to do is make it to the end zone.”

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