Nailing field goals from as far as far as 48 yards in the preseason, Garrett Hartley was settling into his new position as the Steelers' new kicker.
But, if that doesn't work out, Hartley has a fallback job as a reality TV star.
Hartley is co-host of "Southern Chaos," a hunting lifestyle reality show that recently was picked up for second season on cable TV’s Sportsman Channel. In it, Hartley and two friends hunt big game, waterfowl and alligators with rifles, shotguns and bows, and occasionally catch fish, at locations from the Deep South to the Midwest. A series subplot trails Hartley's pro football career as it bumps from the New Orleans Saints to the Cleveland Browns and, presumably, if there is another season for him, to the Steelers, who signed him Aug. 11 after Shaun Suisham's ACL was torn in the first preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings.
Hartley, however, was placed on the Reserved/Injured list after he injured his hamstring on Aug. 31.
"Southern Chaos" airs at 7 p.m. EDT Wednesdays and 8:30 p.m. Fridays.
"I grew up shooting since I was 6 with my dad teaching me how, teaching me the ways," Hartley said. "Once I started going out (hunting) with my friends, I fell in love with it and haven't looked back."
Hartley learned to hunt, he said, on a friend's ranch near Southlake, Texas, where it was not unusual for boys with guns to target wild hogs and coyotes.
He learned to kick in high school, where he set a national record for points in a career by a kicker. In 2002 his 90 extra points set a state record that has since been broken. Coming out of high school, Hartley was rated the second-best kicker in the country by Rivals.com.
In four seasons with the Oklahoma Sooners, he scored 310 points, but never lost his passion for the outdoors. At New Orleans, Hartley converted his first 16 field-goal attempts, setting a then-NFL record for most field goals made at the start of a pro career, and he remains the Saints' all-time postseason leader in points with 39.
In his single season with Cleveland in 2014, he flew South on an off week to tape segments for "Southern Chaos" and hunt with friends.
"It's definitely something I take seriously, although I love to get out in the woods just to clear my head, clear my thoughts, relax," Hartley said. "But, obviously, when that moment arises, you're confident and ready to make that shot whether it's a bow or a rifle."
"Southern Chaos" draws frequent parallels between Hartley's mastering of pressure in the field and on the field. Key elements of being an athlete are used while hunting, he said. Or is it the other way around?
"There's no doubt. You get that adrenaline rush ... before drawing back on a buck or before squeezing off that trigger pull," Hartley said. "You really begin to be able to utilize and control your breathing, control your heartbeat, calm down, and it carries on to every time I make a field goal or go out there in my setup. It's like a one- or two-thought process. You just keep things simple and trust your ability."
"Southern Chaos" is more about the hunting lifestyle than hunting tactics. Its cinematography is beautiful, production values are high and kill shots are not for the squeamish. Hartley and co-hosts Josh Galt and Stephen West frequently stress wildlife conservation, fair chase and the importance of ethical hunts.
Hartley didn't want to comment on the recent debate about big-game trophy hunting, particularly of lions and elephants. He was quick to point out, however, that he eats everything he shoots _ hogs, elk, deer, waterfowl, even alligators. But he's not an African safari trophy hunter.
"That's not my interest," he said.
