Johnson Out of Shadow and Cozy in New Home

Norm Johnson, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ secure, and even appreciated, kicker, watched his longtime friend and predecessor set an NFL record Saturday.

Across the state, Philadelphia Eagle kicker Gary Anderson, whose shadow once extended all the way back to Pittsburgh, made his 16th consecutive postseason field goal. Not long ago, such a stat would have riled the folks on the other end of Interstate 76. But Johnson is no longer haunted.

Fans who helped run one of Anderson’s replacements out of Pittsburgh stopped booing Johnson long ago. He is, at last, the Steelers’ kicker, an honor given begrudgingly after Anderson’s 13-year Steeler career came to an end last summer when a contract squabble prompted him to move across state.

“I think [the fans] understand that Gary has moved on,” Johnson said. “He’s not ever coming back, even if I wouldn’t have filled his shoes properly.”

No, Anderson is not returning, not in a Steeler uniform anyway. But Johnson will be, because he did fill Anderson’s shoes properly.

The sign he has pulled it off will be apparent today during the Steelers’ playoff game against the Buffalo Bills. When Johnson trots onto the field at Three Rivers Stadium, fans will wave those Terrible Towels instead of crying into them about a terrible kicker.

All it took was 34 field goals and an AFC-high 141 points.

“I had to be kind of smart,” said Johnson, who played for Pacifica High and UCLA before starting his NFL career with Seattle and Atlanta. “I had to focus on my kicking. Now, I think they feel I’ve been an adequate replacement.”

Adequate? Johnson might be his harshest critic these days.

Johnson can wander around town, make public appearances and even go on talk-radio shows without fear of ridicule. He has even stopped worrying about the “Norm vs. Gary” chart that ran once a week for 17 weeks in a local paper.

“There were immediate comparisons to Gary,” Steeler special teams’ coach Bobby April said. “Gary kicked here a long time and there was a lot of affection for him. But it was Gary’s choice to leave.”

Maybe so, but Steeler fans didn’t want to hear that last summer.

Johnson had no idea the situation he faced by stepping into the Anderson void in August. He only knew he was free from trouble in Atlanta.

When the Falcons signed former New Orleans Saints’ kicker Morten Andersen in July, it solved several problems.

Not only did they have a guy who was considered the league’s best and had personally beaten the Falcons five times with last-minute field goals, but also they were rid of Johnson. He may have made 84 of 97 field goals during his four years in Atlanta, but he had also clashed with Frank Ganz, Atlanta’s first-year special teams’ coach, last season.

Falcon officials said they were concerned about Johnson’s poor performance on kickoffs. Johnson said Ganz just wanted him gone.

“I was never one of Frank Ganz’s guys, “ Johnson said. “I didn’t think his methods were best for kickers. I was in the Pro Bowl two years ago and was the Pro Bowl alternate last season. But I don’t think he respected me.”

If Johnson wanted to be respected as a kicker, Pittsburgh seemed to be the last place to visit.

A very public dispute ended when Anderson rejected a Steeler offer and signed with Philadelphia. The Steelers countered by signing 11-year veteran Dean Biasucci. He never had a chance.

Early in training camp Biasucci was signing autographs, then was told by one fan, “Don’t worry. At least I won’t be booing you.” He might have been the only fan who didn’t.

“Dean was in a tough position,” said Charles Bailey, the team’s pro personnel coordinator. “The guy he was attempting to replace was a big fan favorite. Then he didn’t kick well. On top of that, he sustained a leg injury.”

Biasucci, who was signed to a three-year, $1.25-million contract, missed four field goals against Tampa Bay in an exhibition game. The Steelers started looking for another kicker the next week.

Johnson entered that storm to be reunited with April, who had been his special teams’ coach in Atlanta for three seasons. April liked Johnson’s kicking abilities, but also thought he was the perfect answer to the Steelers’ PR problem.

“Norm has been through every emotional ebb and tide there is in football,” April said. “This wasn’t going to bother him. It also helped when the papers ran that he had the best percentage of any kicker since 1991.”

Maybe so, but few Steeler fans seemed to care. Johnson kicked two field goals against Philadelphia. But fans spent the night giving standing ovations to Anderson, who kicked three.

“I couldn’t get involved in all that,” Johnson said. “I had missed most of training camp and the season was starting in a week. My focus was to get done as much work as I could without getting overly sore.”

Biasucci took a different approach, criticizing fans and then complaining that the Steelers were bowing to media pressure by signing Johnson.

Johnson spoke with actions. He made a 31-yard field goal as time ran out to beat Detroit, 23-20, in the season opener.

“Had I missed that, I would have had some problems,” Johnson said. “It got me off on the right foot, so to speak.”

Anderson had a solid season for Philadelphia, making 22 of 30 field goals and scoring 96 points. Biasucci, who was signed by the Rams on Nov. 1, was nine of 12 on field goals and finished with 40 points.

Johnson outscored them both--combined. More important, Johnson may well have saved the Steelers’ season.

On Nov. 6, Johnson made three field goals on a sloppy Soldier Field turf in a 37-34 victory over the Bears. It gave the Steelers a one-game lead in the Central Division and kept in motion what became an eight-game winning streak.

Johnson won the game with a 24-yard field goal with 8 minutes 19 seconds left in overtime.

“It was third down and the Bears had called timeout,” Johnson said. “[Coach] Bill Cowher came out and asked if we should run one more play to move the ball to the left or right. I said, ‘Let me kick it and let’s go home.’ ”

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Still Kicking

How Pittsburgh Steeler kickers past and present compare during the 1995 season:

* Norm Johnson

Joined Steelers Aug. 22.

Stats: Made 34 of 41 field goals, with two game-winning kicks.

* Dean Biasucci

With Steelers June 29-Aug. 30.

1995 Team: St. Louis Rams.

Stats: Made nine of 12 field goals; no game-winning kicks.

* Gary Anderson

With Steelers 1982-94.

1995 Team: Philadelphia.

Stats: Made 22 of 30 field goals, with three game-winning kicks.