Wide receiver Ben Skowronek hasn’t had it easy during the last year.
A former seventh-round pick by the Los Angeles Rams in 2021, Skowronek had the luck of getting drafted by the team that would win the Super Bowl that year. Despite his modest contributions of 13 total catches for 145 yards, Skowronek earned himself a Super Bowl ring with the Rams.
It wasn’t until his sophomore season that he started to show some chops as a wide receiver. In 2022, Skowronek caught 39 passes for 376 yards, serving as a reliable depth option for the Rams.
Despite that spike in production, Skowronek found himself in much more of a special teams role for the Rams last season. He was on the field for just 19% of LA’s offensive snaps in 2023 — a dramatic drop from 82% in 2022. His snap count on special teams surged from 12% to 71%. Skowronek’s time on offense was largely to serve as a blocking receiver for the team’s more big-name targets.
Then, his time in LA suddenly came to an end. In May, the Rams traded Skowronek to Houston as part of a late-round pick swap. He competed in the preseason for the Texans but was cut before the regular season arrived.
Despite the disappointing end in Houston, Skowronek has found a new home in Pittsburgh.
“Just being honest, it’s been a tough year for me,” Skowronek said to Nick Farabaugh of PennLive.com. “I got traded, and then I got released. But I love where I am now. I love being a Steeler. I love going to war every Sunday with these guys.”
The Steelers love going to war with Skowronek. Fellow wide receiver Van Jefferson, who was also teammates with Skowronek with the Los Angeles Rams, described him as the team’s “dirty worker” and a “dawg” as Skowronek put together another terrific yet underrated performance for his team.
Since the Steelers picked him up and stashed him on their practice squad just days before the regular season began, the Notre Dame product has continued to carve out a role for himself on this team. With rookie third-round pick wide receiver Roman Wilson ruled out before the season opener, Skowronek got an early chance to get into the lineup for the Steelers.
He put up a strong impression as a gunner in Danny Smith’s revered special teams unit, earning him a second elevation when the team traveled to Denver.
Unfortunately for Skowronek, he was placed on Injured Reserve after that game, missing the next month and a half with a shoulder injury. He was activated ahead of Pittsburgh’s game against the Washington Commanders on Nov. 10, and since then has been a wrecking ball for the Steelers.
He spent most of his action in his first game back on special teams, but he made a big-time play early in the second quarter, recovering a muffed punt inside Washington’s 15-yard line, setting up an eventual Steelers touchdown.
While it was a good return to the lineup for Skowronek, he had to wait another week for his breakout game. He was a key part of Pittsburgh’s game plan against the Baltimore Ravens — games that are always extra physical. In addition to his usual work on special teams, Skowronek was on the field for 26% of the team’s offensive snaps, drawing two flags and utilizing his skills to serve as a blocking receiver for the team.
Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith tailored Skowronek’s strength as a blocker to the team’s advantage. He flew around the field all game playing bully ball against Baltimore’s highly praised defense. It was the first time Steelers fans got an extended look at Skowronek’s blocking abilities.
Sunday was the latest in a series of positive showings for Skowronek this season. His 23 snaps on offense — which was a third of the team’s total offensive snaps — was a season-high for him, as Smith once again schemed Skowronek for a prime role as a blocking receiver. Skowronek was extremely noticeable, just like in his performance against the Ravens.
Early in the first quarter, he was pivotal in boxing out Bengals cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt and allowing George Pickens to score Pittsburgh’s first points of the game. Later in the first half, he obliterated Bengals safety Geno Stone on a block that helped running back Najee Harris get to the end zone virtually unimpeded.
He also served as a target for quarterback Russell Wilson in a pinch, snagging a 23-yard catch late in the third quarter to help set up the Steelers in Bengals territory.
His underappreciated work helped open up running lanes all over the place and assist in pass blocking, contributing to the Steelers torching Cincinnati’s defense for 44 points and over 500 total yards — both feats the team had not achieved since the 2018 season.
“I wrote in my notebook to be the best blocking receiver in the world,” Skowronek said to Farabaugh after the game. “I might not have the God-given talents that [Pickens] has and some of those other guys in the league, but I want to be the best at something.”
While a ranking of the best blocking receivers is very subjective, he is surely rising through many such lists. His relentless, hard-working mindset has earned him an expanded role with the Steelers. Skowronek deserves serious props for how he has chipped in for his team so far. He’s an electric player who has carved out a role for himself in this offense, as well as making an impact on special teams.
With his strong ability to block for both rushing and passing plays, Smith will need to continue to tailor his strengths to help Pittsburgh’s playmakers do what they do best.