In the modern NFL, a long snapper achieves a twisted form of perfection only when they remain completely invisible. For the Pittsburgh Steelers, that quiet perfection has a local zip code and a linebacker's mentality.
Christian Kuntz is the unseen engine of the Steelers' special teams. Since earning the starting job, the former Duquesne standout has quietly handled hundreds of consecutive high-pressure snaps. Because of that metronomic reliability, kicker Chris Boswell has consistently rewritten franchise records, knowing every ball will arrive right on the money.
Yet, while Kuntz operates in the shadows of the stat sheet, the Pittsburgh native has a razor-sharp perspective on what makes the culture in the Steel City tick—an intensity that newcomers notice the second they arrive.
"You get guys in from other teams that they notice that the Steelers fan base is a little bit different," Kuntz told Steelers Now . "Yeah, instantly. I mean, any guy you ask, they're instantly like, oh, the Steelers fans are crazy. Crazy not in a bad way, but crazy in a good way, passionate. They care about the Steelers."
That baseline passion matches the high-octane background Kuntz brings to the position. A three-time All-American linebacker in college, he finished his career with a school-record 30.5 sacks. He didn't pick up long snapping full-time until a roster vacancy forced him into double duty, ultimately transforming himself into a coverage-first specialist who snaps flawlessly and sprints downfield to lay hits on returners.
The faces on the roster may shift, but the high-pressure standard of playing under Pittsburgh's unique microscope remains unchanged. For an unheralded specialist like Kuntz, delivering perfection in front of that hyper-passionate crowd isn't just a job requirement—it's exactly what fuels the machine.
Pittsburgh Steelers long snapper Christian Kuntz during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Dec. 1, 2024. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
Acquired: Re-signed by the Steelers to a three-year contract in March 2024, the Pittsburgh native and former Duquesne linebacker originally joined the team's practice squad in 2020 after brief stints with New England, Denver, Jacksonville, and the XFL's Dallas Renegades. Kuntz beat out incumbent Kameron Canaday for the starting long snapper job during the 2021 training camp and has since served as the hyper-reliable anchor for the Steelers' specialists, executing hundreds of consecutive flawless snaps for Chris Boswell and the punt unit.
Last Year:Kuntz maintained his ironman status as the engine of the special teams unit, appearing in all 17 regular-season games and the postseason matchup. Despite fighting through a preseason chest injury and a late-Dec. knee scare, Kuntz did not miss a single snap, extending his flawless streak to 756 consecutive operations over five seasons. His clockwork delivery up the middle proved vital for kicker Chris Boswell, helping deliver a franchise-record 60-yard field goal. He also contributed two solo tackles on punt coverage.
Pro Career: After going undrafted in 2017, Kuntz spent four years fighting for a permanent NFL roster spot, navigating five cuts across stints with the New England Patriots, Denver Broncos, Jacksonville Jaguars, and a brief 2019 training camp appearance with the Steelers as a linebacker.
Following a successful run as the primary long snapper for the XFL's Dallas Renegades in early 2020, Kuntz returned to Pittsburgh, eventually signing to the practice squad later that season. He won the starting job in 2021 and has since established himself as one of the most durable specialists in the league, appearing in 85 consecutive regular-season games through 2025 without a single blocked punt.
Pittsburgh Steelers long snapper Christian Kuntz snaps the ball in a preseason game against the Buffalo Bills on Aug. 17, 2024. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
| Year |
Team |
GP |
Solo |
Ast |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 |
PITT |
17 |
2 |
0 |
N/A |
| 2024 |
PITT |
17 |
1 |
0 |
N/A |
| 2023 |
PITT |
17 |
0 |
0 |
N/A |
| 2022 |
PITT |
17 |
1 |
0 |
N/A |
| 2021 |
PITT |
17 |
2 |
0 |
N/A |
A dominant force at the FCS level, Kuntz put together one of the most decorated defensive careers in Duquesne University history. Playing as a linebacker for the Dukes from 2012 to 2016, he became just the second player in program history to earn All-American honors three times. He capped off his collegiate career by being named the Northeast Conference (NEC) Defensive Player of the Year in 2016 , leading the Dukes to a share of the conference title while setting a school record with 30.5 career sacks.
Remarkably, Kuntz was not a full-time specialist during his time at Duquesne. While he served as an elite pass rusher and finished top-six in FCS history with 71.5 tackles for loss, he only picked up long snapping out of necessity during his senior season to fill a sudden roster vacancy. That late-career versatility ultimately reshaped his football journey, turning a prolific college defender into an NFL-caliber special teams anchor.
| Year |
Team |
Pos |
GP |
GS |
Solo |
Ast |
TFL |
Scks |
Int |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 |
Duquesne |
LB |
11 |
11 |
38 |
26 |
24 |
11.5 |
0 |
N/A |
| 2015 |
Duquesne |
LB |
12 |
11 |
47 |
25 |
26 |
10 |
4 |
N/A |
| 2014* |
Duquesne |
LB |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
N/A |
| 2013 |
Duquesne |
LB |
11 |
11 |
32 |
42 |
19.5 |
9 |
1 |
N/A |
| 2012 |
Duquesne |
LB |
11 |
1 |
15 |
23 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
N/A |
*2014 Medical redshirt
Measured at his 2017 Pro Day: 6-foot-1.25, 230 pounds; 31 1/2-inch arm length, 9 5/8-inch hand size.
Christian Kuntz scored a 5.02 RAS (Relative Athletic Score) out of 10.
The Steelers rewarded Kuntz's consistency in March 2024 by signing him to a three-year, $3.765 million contract extension that keeps him in Pittsburgh through the 2026 season. The deal included a $325,000 signing bonus, providing a modest security buffer for a specialist who plays on what he calls a "one-snap contract." For the 2026 season, Kuntz carries a highly efficient salary cap hit of $1.32 million, anchoring the long-snapping duties at a team-friendly value before being scheduled to hit unrestricted free agency in 2027.
After going undrafted in 2017, Kuntz was cut five times by four different teams over a four-year stretch. To make ends meet and pay the bills between workouts while living back home in Pittsburgh, he worked as a driver for a local luxury car and limousine service.
Alan Saunders provided reporting from Pittsburgh.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now : Why Christian Kuntz Is the Unseen Engine of the Steelers Special Teams
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