Christian Kuntz may line up as a long snapper, but the Duquesne alum is making his biggest impact off the field.
The NFL Players Association named the Pittsburgh Steelers long snapper its Community MVP for Week 9 of the 2026 season, recognizing Kuntz for his commitment to giving back to his hometown — the same city where he went to college and now plays professionally. For a player whose on-field contributions tend to fly under the radar by design, the honor puts a well-deserved spotlight on the work he's doing beyond the snap.
The recognition arrived on a strong week for Kuntz and the Steelers, who handled the Cleveland Browns convincingly, 27–6, on Sunday, November 1. Long snappers rarely generate headlines when things go right — that's the nature of the position — but the NFLPA's weekly community award exists precisely to surface the stories that the box score never will.
Kuntz has built his NFL career on reliability and precision in one of the most thankless roles in professional football, but his roots in Pittsburgh appear to be what drives him when the cleats come off. The NFLPA Community MVP designation, awarded each week to a player demonstrating meaningful engagement in his community, underscores that the former Duquesne Duke hasn't forgotten where he came from even as he earns a paycheck at Acrisure Stadium just miles from his alma mater.
For Duquesne fans, Kuntz's story carries a particular resonance. The Dukes aren't a traditional NFL pipeline — making every player who reaches and sticks in the league a source of genuine pride for the Pittsburgh campus. That one of those players is now being celebrated nationally for his community character adds another layer to an already compelling narrative.
Elsewhere in the league, fellow Duquesne alum Ayden Garnes continues to hold a roster spot with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at cornerback, keeping the Dukes represented on both sides of the country.
But this week belongs to Kuntz — a Pittsburgh kid, a Duquesne Duke, and now an NFLPA-recognized community leader suiting up in black and gold every Sunday.
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