Former Steelers OT Alejandro Villanueva Admits O-Line Had A 'Golden Child' That Mike Munchak Absolutely Favored

The Pittsburgh Steelers used to have one of the best offensive lines in the National Football League, particularly back in the 2010s. While those players have now all retired or moved on, they often come back together to talk about what it was that made that group ("The Goons" as Head Coach Mike Tomlin fondly called them), so special. That success was thanks in large part to some tough love from their coach, except for the one teammate who got some preferential treatment. 

Recently, former offensive tackle, Alejandro Villanueva joined his old teammate and good friend, offensive guard Ramon Foster, on Foster's podcast. The show, which is called The Ramon Foster Show, airs on DK Pittsburgh Sports. Villanueva and Foster both had unusual routes to the NFL. Foster was an undrafted free agent and ended up playing for 11 years, while Villanueva went into the military after not making the Cincinnati Bengals' roster as a tight end out of West Point. He came home two years later and tried again. He ultimately ended up in Pittsburgh as a Pro Bowl lineman. 

The Steelers "Goons" Did Have An Enforcer And A Golden Child

Foster and Villanueva said that their Offensive Line Coach Mike Munchak is why that group formed such a tight bond and had so much success. He was always breaking things down for them on film during linemen meetings. Foster said he would just drill technique into them, over and over in meetings and on the field. According to Foster, this is why so many of the men who played offensive line for the Steelers during that period stayed in the league for so long and got paid. 

Foster said the two of them stood out in part because of their size. They were two big guys and had to get used to the way each other moved. He said it wasn't the same with any other tackle he played next to, but quickly they developed a bond and did not want to let each other down. 

"We were together 24/7, it was amazing. What an incredible era for sure," said Villanueva.

They agreed what made this group so good was the fact that they challenged each other constantly. If one of them had a bad rep, the other guys held them accountable. Villanueva said that Munchak would show the film of their mistakes in the line meetings for everyone to see.

"There would be silence in the room and Munch [Mike Munchak] would just play it over and over again. And then [Maurkice] Pouncey would say something so ignorant and demeaning and demoralizing, you just wanted the earth to swallow you and disappear and die in that second."

With Munchak, said Foster, he only did that if it was something that he felt was a correctable mistake. He wasn't doing it to get the guys to ridicule each other, but rather to help them pull together. Villanueva agreed and added that it also depended on how established you were as a player. There was one guy who always got a pass though. 

"Depends on whether you need it or not," said Villanueva. "Except Pouncey. He would never show Pouncey. He wouldn't even make him do one-on-ones. Pouncey not doing one-on-ones, that was the biggest, like what the h*ll are we doing here? Nobody wants to do one-on-ones Week 16 of the season in full pads, two reps against young bucks."

This has Foster laughing as they recall how center Maurkice Pouncey never had to do the same punishment drills that the rest of them did. They said Pouncey would sit on the sideline and encourage the guys and they were like, "Hey, you're supposed to be with us!" 

Foster agrees. He added that when he had Pouncey on his show, he even admitted that Munchak would fuss at Foster and Villanueva for something Pouncey did. 

"Oh yeah, he was the golden child," said Villanueva.

Golden child, he may have been, but Munchak knew how to motivate his players and get the best out of them. For his part, Pouncey was one of the best centers in the NFL. He was drafted in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft by Pittsburgh and spent all his 11 seasons with the Steelers. He was a nine-time Pro Bowler and a two-time First Team All-Pro. 

This comradery among that offense is something that the current team needs. Foster and Villanueva both said that it just takes time to develop that kind of trust. It is more than just having all the parts. Villanueva added that it helped to have Ben Roethlisberger as their quarterback. 

While the offensive line grew and developed, Roethlisberger did that right alongside them. They added that it also helped that the Steelers' way of keeping teams together, rather than letting players go every year, helped.