The Pittsburgh Steelers haven't figured out who will be the team's starting quarterback for the 2025 season, and there are still some areas that remain in question aside from that as well. One that isn't, however, is the offensive line. It's pretty clear which five big men will be leading the charge up front once the regular season rolls around. The unit has had some challenges in recent years, and the main issue has been the consistency. The group has not been up to par with what is expected for a run-first team since Mike Munchak coached it from 2014-2018.
Many have called for the Steelers to bring Munchak back, especially after he has reportedly been open to a return to coaching, despite his current status as a consultant for the Los Angeles Rams. He originally left Pittsburgh for the West Coast to be closer to family, but if the right situation presented itself, he may journey back to being an offensive line coach.
Recent words from former Steeler Alejandro Villanueva highlight exactly why the organization needs to think about reaching out to Munchak in 2026 if the line doesn't seriously improve its play during the 2025 regular season. On the Black Rifle Coffee Podcast, Villanueva detailed why he was able to be so successful in the NFL, and it started with the city and his positional coach.
"The fact that I went to the Pittsburgh Steelers," Villanueva said. "Which is a legendary team that is known for being a family type organization with an incredible history; and I had one of the greatest coaches to ever play the game in Mike [Munchak], who did not care whether you were a first-rounder [or] whether you were undrafted. [He] maybe saw me as a canvas of somebody that he could teach how to play from scratch."
Villanueva was an undrafted player that made two Pro Bowls during his career, both of which came with Munchak as his coach. He is a direct example of how it is extremely possible to develop quickly in the NFL with the right leader.
Some have criticized Head Coach Mike Tomlin's lack of discipline with many players and, even recently, Najee Harris, said that he felt like the offense didn't really have any kind of identity. A lot of that has to come back to coaching, and the offensive line has been unstable since Munchak's departure. Villanueva's comments prove just how badly the franchise misses Munchak specifically.
Villanueva was in Pittsburgh from 2015 to 2020, so it was interesting that he did not compliment Shaun Sarrett at all, but the tackle was already a top-notch NFL lineman once Sarrett became the offensive line coach.
It will be interesting to see what Pat Meyer's future holds after the 2025 campaign. The majority of the fan base wanted him to be fired after the 2024 season, but he has been retained, which concerns those who watch Steelers football consistently.
While it's unclear if Munchak would be open to returning to the Steel City specifically, no one will really know until there is a search underway for a new offensive line coach. For now, that title belongs to Meyer, but no one on the current line had the pleasure of playing under Munchak. If any lineman heard what Villanueva had to say, it's likely that that individual would want a chance to learn from Munchak over Meyer, given the recent results.
Steelers' Inconsistent Offensive Line Play Must Come To An End During 2025 Season
If Pittsburgh truly does want to be a run-first, play-action passing type of team, it needs to get better play from the offensive line, but more importantly, it needs to be consistent. There have been certain signs of life that pop up from time to time, but the big men up front playing at a high level on a week by week basis is what the organization needs. If Meyer can't get the unit there, then maybe Munchak would be open to a reunion.
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