The Pittsburgh Steelers completed their second preseason game on Saturday night as the team lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The game was a bit ugly at times, and the Steelers were unable to escape the game healthy. Nick Herbig went down with a hamstring injury, and long snapper Christian Kuntz left the game after he suffered some sort of chest injury. He suffered the injury early on after a punt, and he was not able to return to the contest.
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Pittsburgh Steelers' Christian Kuntz on the sideline during a game in Buffalo in the 2023 season.
It was unclear what exactly happened to Kuntz during the game, but it has since been reported that the long snapper suffered an injury directly to his sternum. Team insider Mark Kaboly reported that Kuntz is expected to miss significant time as it is believed that he broke his sternum.
Steelers LS Christian Kuntz' injury is his sternum. It is believed to be broken, according to a source. That would keep him out for several weeks to months.
— Mark Kaboly (@MarkKaboly) August 18, 2025
Kuntz is one of the better long snappers in the NFL, and losing him hurts. The Steelers are going to have to bring in a new long snapper while Kuntz recovers from his injury. It was always a benefit to have Kuntz as a reliable long snapper, as this is a part of football that is often overlooked. Logan Lee was able to finish the game at long snapper on Saturday, but he is not seen as a reliable option moving forward.
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Steelers defensive linemen Logan Lee (91) and Cam Heyward (97) during 2025 training camp in Latrobe, PA.
It is unclear whether or not Kuntz' injury requires surgery, but it should be expected for him to be out the first month or two of the regular season. Pittsburgh will find a replacement to fill in while Kuntz heals, but the job should be his when he returns, assuming all goes well with his recovery. The Steelers have one of the best special teams operations in the NFL, so this is going to be something to keep an eye on once the new long snapper is brought in.
Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (X: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Steelers punter Cameron Johnston (5) during 2025 training camp in Latrobe, PA.
Steelers Suffer Major Special Teams Injury For The Second Year In A Row
At the start of the 2024 season the Steelers lost Cam Johnston for the entire season after he suffered a gruesome knee injury in Week 1. This left Pittsburgh to sign another punter, and it even forced Scotty Miller to a hold a kick for Chris Boswell during the first contest of the year. Now, it is Kuntz that is going to miss time, but thankfully there is time before the regular season kicks off for the Steelers to figure things out.
What do you think about the news regarding Kuntz? Let us know in the comments below!
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