“Game Of His Life” tells the story of Pittsburgh athletes who may not have had the most illustrious, Hall of Fame level careers, but had one absolutely amazing game. In today’s edition, Matt McCrane.

Matt McCrane is probably unknown to many across the football world. Today playing in XFL for the DC Defenders, his NFL career spanned just five games, all in 2018. 

Signed as an undrafted free agent in 2018, McCrane spent quick stints with Arizona Cardinals, Oakland Raiders, and Cardinals (again) during the 2018 season, kicking in one game for Arizona and three for Oakland. 

With the Raiders, as a replacement for the injured Daniel Carlson, McCrane made just 5 of 9 field goals, and was promptly cut after Carlson’s return. 

As the season dragged on, and a second stint with the Cardinals also ended rather quickly, McCrane probably assumed that his season was done. But in the final week of the season, a team in need came calling, and McCrane put up his best work. 

The Backstory

We find ourselves once again looking at the 2018 Pittsburgh Steelers, because even amidst the chaos and drama of this soap opera team, there are performances by stars and unknowns alike that cannot go unremembered. 

After a heartbreaking 31-28 loss to the powerhouse New Orleans Saints,, the Steelers’ hopes of salvaging this season and obtaining a playoff berth now hung by a thread. To make matters worse, the Steelers now had to do the unthinkable: root for the Cleveland Browns. 

As the standings shook out entering Week 17, the Steelers, at 8-6-1, had to win their final game of the season over the Cincinnati Bengals, AND have the surging Browns defeat the Baltimore Ravens in order for the Steelers to make the postseason. 

Fans altered their Antonio Brown Steelers jerseys to add an “S” to the end of Brown, which looking back was rather ironic, seeing as Brown was absent in this must-win affair. 

But suddenly there was another hole in Pittsburgh’s roster. 

Struggling kicker Chris Boswell was mercifully placed on IR, forcing the Steelers to find a new kicker for a game that was the definition of a must-win. In comes the rookie Matt McCrane. 

The Steelers added McCrane, who at this point had a career field goal percentage of 55.6%, in the hopes he could fill in and help the Steelers to victory. 

The Game

It was an awful first half for the Steelers. They looked anything but a team that desperately needed the win to stay alive. 

The Steelers and Bengals (who were 6-9 and starting backup Jeff Driskel) traded sloppy first quarter drives that resulted in several punts, but the Steelers were failing to take charge in a game they so badly needed. 

The Bengals, to their credit, were doing a great job at halting Pittsburgh’s offense, hoping to play spoiler at Heinz Field. 

But things would go from bad to worse, as early on in the second quarter, Ben Roethlisberger threw a pick six to Cincinnati’s Shawn Williams, who returned it 58 yards to go the distance. 

The Steelers, still unable to cobble themselves together, can only get one first down before Jordan Berry has to punt again. Driskel is able to lead the Bengals to a field goal to put them up 10-0 with just a few minutes left in the first half. 

However, thanks to an unnecessary roughness penalty on Cincy’s Alex Redmond (his second such penalty in just four plays), the Steelers got to open their next drive with great starting field position. After two blocked passes to JuJu Smith-Schuster, Ben pivoted, hitting both Xavier Grimble and Eli Rogers for quick strikes, before finally getting a pass to JuJu. 

The Steelers had to race against time as the seconds ticked down in the first half, and with four seconds to go, the Steelers went out for a field goal. 

Out trots Matt McCrane, a scrawny, skinny looking figure who looked like his entire body would break if even bumped into by any other player on the field. 

However, he proved more than capable, knocking home a 39 yard field goal to put the Steelers on the board as the first half came to a close. The crowd roared as McCrane put up his first points as a Steeler. 

Coming out of halftime, the Steelers defense forced a swift three-and-out, but the offense still had difficulty, punting the ball back to Cincy almost as quickly as they had got it. Then, late in the third quarter, the Steelers finally found some rhythm. 

Ben found James Washington for a 47 yard pass, bringing the Steelers deep into Bengals territory. After a good rush by James Conner, JuJu did the rest, catching and running a pass into the endzone. 

McCrane boots the extra point, and Pittsburgh ties the game at 10. 

On their next drive, the Steelers once again find a way to march down the field. This time gaining yardage in smaller chunks, the Steelers get somewhat far into Bengals territory before the drive stalls, and the Steelers have to settle for a field goal. 

McCrane, facing his biggest challenge yet on the day, just barely curled in a 47 yarder to take the lead for the Steelers. McCrane’s kick had knocked off the upright and fortunately banked the correct way. 

But the game was far from over. 

Joe Mixon gives the Bengals life almost instantly, rushing for 51 yards on Cincy’s first play of their next drive, instantly setting up the Bengals in field goal range. Pittsburgh’s defense regrouped after that, shutting down anything else from happening, capping it off with a massive Cam Heyward sack. 

Regardless, McCrane’s counterpart in Randy Bullock kicked a 32 yarder, knotting the game up at 13 with 6:20 to play. 

On their last drive of the game, Ben led the Steelers at what he did best: clutch, game-winning drives. 

Playing small ball, the Steelers were able to kill over four minutes off the clock while inching farther down the field. The drive was aided by a heck of an effort by Eli Rogers on 3rd & 10 to keep the offense on the field. 

Soon after, with exactly two minutes to play, McCrane was sent out for one final kick. With the game potentially hinging on this kick, McCrane delivered, making a 35 yard field goal to put Pittsburgh up 16-13. The defense did the rest, and the Steelers did all they could do on that cold December night. 

The Aftermath

McCrane’s three field goals and extra point was pivotal in Pittsburgh’s 16-13 win over Cincinnati. It was his finest performance as an NFLer. 

On the field after the game, McCrane and many other Steelers players watched the jumbotron at Heinz Field, which was playing the end of the Browns-Ravens game that would determine whether the Steelers were playoff-bound. 

The Browns put together a valiant effort, hoping to obtain their first winning season since 2007. Cleveland was able to push to midfield, including an outlandishly good catch by Jarvis Landry. But, with a decision to go for it on 4th & 10 or attempt a 57 yard field goal, the Browns opted for the former. 

“The whole NFL is watching,” Jim Nantz, who was calling the game, said right before the play. 

That decision to go for it would end up sealing the game; Baker Mayfield’s pass would be intercepted by C.J. Mosley, giving the Ravens the win, the division title, and the playoff berth. 

“Hearts are broken in Pittsburgh,” Nantz called out. 

The second the ball landed in Mosley’s hands, the Steelers’ season was done, and after watching it back in Pittsburgh, Steelers players hung their heads and began to exit the field. 

As for McCrane, his efforts did not go unnoticed. He was awarded the game ball for his performance, and teammates as well as head coach Mike Tomlin praised McCrane for his steady play despite being so new. 

It would be the only game he played with the Steelers, and his final game in the NFL. Despite his solid outing, the Steelers, who still had a heavy financial commitment to Chris Boswell, did not keep him for the 2019 season. 

McCrane was cut the following May, eventually landing with the New York Guardians of the second-iteration of the XFL, but his season was abruptly ended when the XFL was forced to suspend operations after the Covid-19 shutdowns. 

Since then, McCrane has spent time with three different practice squads (including a third go around in Arizona) before signing with the DC Defenders of the third-iteration XFL in January of 2023. 

(Photo by the Pittsburgh Steelers)