Friday Take Five: Christian Kuntz, Yinzer Sports Fan

UNITY TWP., Pa. —  From ridiculous training regimens to seven-figure salaries, professional athletes aren’t like the rest of us, but Steelers long snapper Christian Kuntz does have one big thing in common with Pittsburgh sports fans: he is one, too.

Kuntz, a Chartiers Valley and Duquesne alum now plays with the Steelers, but he’s still a big fan of the Penguins and Pirates.

For training camp report day on Tuesday, while other Steelers wore college gear, Kuntz wore a No. 51 David Bednar Pittsburgh Pirates jersey.

So this week’s Friday Take Five is with Christian Kuntz, Yinzer sports fan.

Steelers Now: Why did you want to wear David Bednar’s jersey?

Christian Kuntz: When a guy from Pittsburgh, like Dave is on the team, and he’s had such great success, you know, I just, I’m a big fan and I wanted to rock his jersey. So I hit him up and I was like, did I need a jersey for camp and he was all about it. So I think we’re gonna exchange jerseys and he plans on wearing mine one day too.

SN: How has your sports fandom changed since you’ve become a professional athlete yourself?

CK: Nothing’s really changed. I mean, I’ll always be a diehard Pirate fan and Penguin fan. … They’re all my favorites on my ESPN app. So I can check with the Buccos are doing and what the Pens are doing. I follow them pretty religiously as as my family does.

SN: What do you think about the Pens offseason, and are you glad they brought Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang back?

CK: You need to keep the three-headed monster together, Malkin, Letang and Crosby, so I’m fired up about that. I feel like those guys can never leave Pittsburgh. We need them. They’re staples of penguins hockey. 

SN: Do you think the Pirates rebuild will work?

Ck: I hope so. I like Oneil Cruz. I like the guys. I liked Vogelbach, but they traded him. But you know, I’ll support whatever the organization’s doing. Obviously, I’m a fan. So I’m gonna root for those guys just as you know, I bet they root for us to so.

SN: As someone that grew up calling it Heinz Field, what do you think of the change to Acrisure Stadium?

CK: You know, it is what it is. I’m happy about it. You know, obviously, we loved Heinz Field and being from Pittsburgh, but Acrisure is our new home and we’re gonna embrace it. And the guys, you know, we’re gonna play there, just as hard as we did it at Heinz Field, and the fans are gonna be there. So we’re pumped about it.

SN: I assume this isn’t your first trip to St. Vincent?

CK: (In 2019), I was here for four days before I think it was that Kansas City preseason game with three days of practice. I signed, practiced, and then luckily camp ended and we went back to South Side. But I feel like I’ve been here at least 10-20 times throughout my childhood for sure.