Steelers starter just gave hundreds of other players an advantage heading into training camp
With the majority of the NFL kicking off training camp at some point over the next week, the back-to-school feeling is in the air. Of course, the headliners on every team are the QB, star WR, and defensive monster, but what makes camp so intriguing is the battle that most of the roster faces to […]
With the majority of the NFL kicking off training camp at some point over the next week, the back-to-school feeling is in the air.
Of course, the headliners on every team are the QB, star WR, and defensive monster, but what makes camp so intriguing is the battle that most of the roster faces to make the final 53.
Pittsburgh Steelers long snapper Christian Kuntz was once in that very battle, and he just gave free game to the rest of the NFL on how to win it.
Making the NFL as a Gunner
“That’s a dog fight,” Kuntz said on The Christian Kuntz Podcast. “The gunner position. You’ve got two guys out there that are like, ‘I want to kill you. You’re not making it past 10 yards.’ That’s one of the hardest positions in the league…
"… Pulling the arm through, swatting the hands, hand placement off the line, stuff where people are like, ‘He’s running down and making the tackle.’ No, he’s not. He just worked his ass off to get off the line and make that play…
"… It’s prideful, bro. You gotta be a dog. Danny Smith [Steelers special teams coordinator] calls it the expressway [to making the team].
The truth is, many of the players on the bubble in Pittsburgh, or throughout the league for that matter, will realize their NFL dreams not by playing their collegiate position, but by becoming a special teams ace.
Kuntz knows that, as despite his dominance as a LB in college at Duquesne, his only chance at playing for the Steelers was to learn how to be a gunner or a long snapper, of which he chose the latter and has become of the better in the league.
It hasn't all been easy for Kuntz, as many believe he was gifted a spot on the Steelers thanks to him being a hometown kid, a narrative that he strongly pushed back on.
I'm a big believer in the notion that, when successful people talk, you listen. And based on consistency and tenure alone, Kuntz is one of the more successful special teams players in the league.
So while the players throughout the NFL are likely honing in on making their presence felt, taking a moment to listen to Kuntz's advice could pay dividends.
