John Kuhn was a beloved member of the Green Bay Packers for nine seasons. When he had a big carry or catch at Lambeau Field, the stands would resonate with chants of “Kuuuuuuhn.” However, that wasn’t where he entered the league. He was an undrafted free agent signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2005 and even saw the field in nine games in 2006.
Kuhn is also quick to credit his brief stay in Pittsburgh as making him the player who went from an undrafted free agent to playing games in 12 seasons in the league. He discussed that time with Ross Tucker on Monday’s episode of the Ross Tucker Podcast.
“Even though they cut me three times, they made my career…” Kuhn said. “Coming into that team with Jerome Bettis and Dan Kreider and Duce Staley, and I had to learn how to lead block coming out of Shippensburg. And you talk about a crash course, that’s like going 400-level straight from the 100-level. I had to learn and learn in a hurry. Big kudos to them for having patience with me, bringing me back on the practice squad, letting me learn on the practice squad, and doing all that stuff because that really taught me how to block.”
John Kuhn graduated from Shippensburg University after a stellar career that led to his induction into Shippensburg’s Hall of Fame in 2013. Although he was listed as a fullback for the Raiders, he carried the ball 910 times for 4,685 yards and 53 touchdowns. This wasn’t enough for him to get drafted, though.
So Kuhn signed with the Steelers and he had to re-learn what it meant to be a fullback. He went from being the focal point of the run game to being the lead blocker ahead of Bettis and Staley. It was a massive shift in mindset for Kuhn.
It was also a rocky learning period. Kuhn was cut multiple times and spent plenty of time on the Steelers practice squad before being promoted for nine games in 2006. However, he credits the Steelers for keeping him on the practice squad so he could learn and grow into a different role.
The Packers organization and fans should also thank the Steelers. Kuhn was a member of the 2010 Super Bowl-winning Packers team, which defeated his old team, the Steelers, for the Lombardi trophy.
While it’s no consolation for missing out on that title, Steelers fans can appreciate John Kuhn speaking well of his time with the team.
