Now that the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2022 season is over, the team finishing above .500 but failing to make the postseason, we turn our attention to the offseason and everything that means. One thing that it means is that some stock evaluations are going to start taking on broader contexts, reflecting on a player’s development, either positively or negatively, over the course of the season. Other evaluations will reflect only one immediate event or trend. The nature of the evaluation, whether short-term or long-term, will be noted in the reasoning section below.
Player: LS Christian Kuntz
Stock Value: Down
Reasoning: With the Steelers signing long snapper Rex Sunahara after months of trying players out at the position, it appears as though they have finally found some competition for Christian Kuntz when they get to Latrobe.
Well, it finally happened. After seemingly the better part of a year trying to find another long snapper, at least to give their starter a push, the Steelers pulled the trigger on a signing at long last. And they looped back around to a familiar name, marking Rex Sunahara’s third signing with the team.
The West Virginia product first signed to the Steelers’ practice squad very briefly in December 2021. Then he signed a Reserve/Future contract the following offseason, only to be released prior to the start of rookie minicamp. Now he’s back following a stint in the XFL with the San Antonio Brahmas, coached by Hines Ward.
And he will be Christian Kuntz’s challenger in Latrobe during training camp and the preseason, assuming that he isn’t cut again before then. Sunahara was considered one of the best long snappers in college football, a semifinalist for the Patrick Mannelly Award, which goes to the top player at the position.
One thing to note about Kuntz is that he is definitely at a size disadvantage against Sunahara, who is 6’6”, 242 points. Kuntz is only 6’1”, five inches shorter, and also gives up considerable weight, checking in at 228 in comparison.
Of note is that both of them can be considered athletes. Kuntz has a linebacker background and even played the position in one of these other leagues—the XFL I believe—while Sunahara was a multi-sport athlete in high school. He played wide receiver and defensive back and also played basketball.
The Steelers did not sign another long snapper last year after they waived Sunahara prior to rookie minicamp, so Kuntz never had a challenger for the job. This time, they didn’t sign a second long snapper until after mandatory minicamp, so that’s a big potential difference from last year. It seems as though Kuntz will actually have competition for his job this time around, a job he’s only held for two years since edging out Kameron Canaday in 2021.
