PITTSBURGH - In punter Josh Miller's seven years with the Steelers, he often found a scowling head coach Bill Cowher waiting for him as he left the field.

With the track record Chris Gardocki possesses, it's hard to imagine the 14-year veteran punter would receive the same reception.

The reason?

Gardocki, signed as a free agent before the season, has never had a punt blocked in his pro career and holds the NFL record for consecutive kicks without a block, notching punt No. 1,000 in Sunday's game with Cincinnati.

A 42-yard punt in the second quarter, his third of the contest, put him at the 1,000 mark, and Gardocki stands 16th on the NFL's career punts list.

"Is that the kiss of death or what?" Cowher said jokingly about the mark after the Steelers beat the Bengals 28-17 at Heinz Field.

"I'll take him all the time," he added. "He's just a solid, consummate pro."

After the game, Gardocki obviously took pleasure in his achievement, but there was a tangible sense of relief as well.

"Fortunately, I got that over with, and I'll try to keep the streak going," he said.

In the first three games of the 2004 season, the Clemson graduate punted 19 times for a 43.4-yard average, with a kick of 58 yards his longest.

On Sunday, Gardocki punted five times for 227 yards, an average of 45.4 yards. His longest kick of the day was 56 yards.

Gardocki, who was selected by the Chicago Bears in the third round of the 1991 NFL Draft, spent four years with the Bears (1991-94) before heading to Indianapolis for four years (1995-98).

With the Colts, he had his best season in 1996, recording a 45.7 gross punting average and a 39.0 net average. He also made the AFC Pro Bowl squad that year.

The punter spent the 1999 through 2003 seasons in Cleveland, where he caught the Steelers' attention during a November 2001 game by dropping a career-high five punts inside the 20-yard line.

The native of Stone Mountain, Ga., said he hasn't done anything differently over the years to keep the streak alive, but he also said good fortune played a vital role in his effort.

"I've had a lot of luck and a lot of close calls over the years," he said.

However, Gardocki said the contribution of his teammates has been even more crucial.

"The snappers were the most important thing starting out, and I've been fortunate for 14 years to have some great snappers," he said.

Gardocki also acknowledged his debt to the other guys up front.

"If you get anybody up the middle, I don't care who you are, (a punt's) not going to get off," he said.

The last time Gardocki had a punt blocked came in the last game of his career at Clemson, a 1990 clash with the rival South Carolina Gamecocks.

"My roommate let the guy through, and I'd never had one blocked in high school or college, other than the last game," he said. "I try not to think about that."

Notes:

Members of the Seneca Valley Junior ROTC presented the colors before the game. ... Tom Ridge, secretary of the Department of Homeland Security and the former governor of Pennsylvania, attended the contest.