Steelers should grant Mike Munchak's wish to return to NFL coaching ranks

The Pittsburgh Steelers have a need on their coaching staff. There's not a particularly big opening, but they could use a veteran mind or two. In recent weeks, they have lost a few crucial members from the 2022 staff. Linebackers coach Brian Flores headed to the Minnesota Vikings to become their defensive coordinator. Earlier this week, John Mitchell retired after 29 years with the team. Mitchell played a huge role in developing several key defensive linemen over the years. 

On the offensive side, the team brings all significant coaches back, including offensive coordinator Matt Canada. Canada has failed to impress in his two seasons, so the hiring of an offensive assistant would be wise. Byron Leftwich, who was fired by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in January, would make sense. Pep Hamilton is another name that could make sense as well. Of course, Eric Bieniemy wouldn't leave the Kansas City Chiefs for anything less than an OC opening.

That's where a familiar name could enter the mix, such as Mike Munchak. Munchak was the Steelers' offensive line coach for five years. Before he came on, Ben Roethlisberger was consistently one of the most pressured quarterbacks in the league. Munchak helped revitalize the group, turning the unit into one of the best in the NFL. High draft picks like Maurkice Pouncey and David DeCastro made his job a bit easier, but the former nine-time Pro Bowl lineman deserved praise as well.

Bringing Munchak back to Pittsburgh as an assistant head coach would make a ton of sense. Last offseason, he told 93.7 The Fan's Ron Cook and Joe Starkey that he had indeed been approached about the Steelers' OL coach opening. He never truly considered it, as he wanted to stay in the Denver area due to family. Munchak seemingly left the door open for a reunion in the future, though, as well as returning to the coaching industry in general, via Jeff Hathhorn of 93.7 The Fan.

“Hopefully if the right opportunity comes up this year or next year, whenever, I would continue to coach. I’ve been blessed to always have a job, so much is about the opportunity, the fit, the timing. The timing unfortunately wasn’t great for what was going on in Denver," Munchak said last year on 93.7 The Fan. "My family is here. Having the opportunity to work in the same city that your family is in is a rare opportunity. I was hoping to keep that going. Unfortunately, that did not work out this year, but I’m hoping to continue to work. We will see what happens in the future.”

The Steelers ended up hiring Pat Meyer as the new OL coach, and he actually did quite well in his first season. As for Munchak, he took a year off from coaching in the NFL. He was last with the Denver Broncos, where he was the OL coach for three years. Munchak left Pittsburgh for the Broncos due to the family aspect of things. Whether it be in Pittsburgh or elsewhere, though, these comments from 2022 seem like he wants to continue coaching if he finds the right fit. 

Like the Bieniemy situation, this is unlikely to happen. It's more of something the team should consider, given the need for a few more coaches. With Meyer locked in as the OL coach, Munchak would make sense as an assistant head coach. Before the Steelers, he was head coach for the Tennessee Titans for three years. If you look around the league, all of the elite teams bring on new, brilliant minds on an annual basis. 

Look no further than the Philadelphia Eagles, which just had a breakout season and eventually lost to the Chiefs in the Super Bowl. Following the conclusion of their season, they lost both their offensive and defensive coordinators to head-coaching positions. The Steelers need those kind of guys. Munchak is now 62 years old, so this isn't to say he'd come in and become a head-coaching candidate within the next few years.