Steelers Retaining Key Positional Coach Could Lead To A Home Run Reunion For Pittsburgh's Offensive Line

Many in the NFL world are extremely focused on the Pittsburgh Steelers' search for a new head coach. Mike Tomlin making the decision to step down wasn't necessarily shocking, but it was unexpected. Now, not only will the team have a new voice in the locker room for the first time in nearly two decades, but a complete overhaul of the coaching staff — and potentially roster itself — could be on the horizon. Team President Art Rooney II mentioned that assistants will be able to explore other opportunities, and that means that plenty of new faces may emerge in the Steel City.

Tomlin has never been known for having a legitimate coaching tree. Most of his assistants throughout the years end up remaining a positional coach at the professional level. This has been a big gripe of the fan base's for some time. There are some individuals that are worth retaining, however. It will be interesting to see which individuals the new coach wants to keep around, and team reporter Mark Kaboly has some ideas of where to start.

Everyone knows Danny Smith for his gum-chewing and role as the team's special teams coordinator, but an under-the-radar coach to keep an eye on is Zach Azzanni. The Steelers' leader for the wide receiving corps didn't have a ton to work with during his two years in the role; however, he got the best out of some older and mid-tier players. Unbeknownst to most, Azzanni has a connection to a former beloved Steelers coach who could be the perfect person to get on the fresh staff.

Offensive line coach Pat Meyer has underachieved in his four seasons at the helm. While the numbers, specifically pass blocking wise, looked better in 2025, veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers was getting the ball out of his hand at a rapid rate; this inflated some analytics. Overall, the team has elite talent up front; however, it has never progressed to being that top-tier group under Meyer's jurisdiction, which is why a new, but familiar voice may be beneficial.

There is a common misconception about former Steelers offensive line coach MIke Munchak. At one time, he did indeed leave Pittsburgh to get closer to family and move out to the West Coast, but that has never meant that he was landlocked to that side of the country forever. He coached with Azzanni for three seasons from 2019 to 2021 with the Denver Broncos. 

The two have familiarity and while Azzanni staying around wouldn't mean he was making top decisions, his presence may be just enough to convince Munchak to get back into coaching, as he hasn't been on a sideline since 2021. The big men up front in Pittsburgh could use someone like Munchak; a polished coach that would bring an old-school attitude.

A couple of years after his final campaign with Broncos, Munchak noted that he missed coaching and would get back into it if the right situation presented itself. That could be in the Steel City. The right side of the line is pretty much set in stone, with a couple of questions on the left. The Steelers need to get more out of this unit, and orchestrating a reunion with Munchak, thanks to some help from Azzanni, could be huge.

No decisions will be made until a head coach is in place, but if the Steelers wait a little too long to make that move, then someone who is unemployed like Munchak could make a ton of sense, anyway.

Steelers Need To Get Back To Playing A Dominant Brand Of Football

Tomlin was a guy that players loved going out on the field and competing for. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that, but it felt as if, especially in recent years, the collective as a whole lost its mojo. More "business decisions" were made, opposing teams were being more physical, and the rushing attack on offense had been wildly inconsistent. Bringing back someone like Munchak, although he worked for Tomlin in the past, could reignite a fire under the offensive line for good.

Do you think that the Steelers need to retain Azzanni and use him as one piece of leverage to get Munchak back? Let us know in the comments below!

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