ESPN writer gives insight on Cardinals head coaching candidate Munchak
Jan 8, 2018, 5:54 PM
FILE - In this file photo from Nov. 26, 2017, Pittsburgh Steelers offensive line coach Mike Munchak talks with the line during an NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers in Pittsburgh. Munchak is the architect of one of the NFL's best offensive lines. The Hall of Famer turned Pittsburgh Steelers line coach is in the mix to become the next head coach in Arizona, a prospect that has his players feeling bittersweet. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic, File)
(AP Photo/Keith Srakocic, File)
ESPN Steelers NFL writer Jeremy Fowler gave some insight on Arizona Cardinals head coaching candidate Mike Munchak.
Munchak is the Steelers offensive line coach and a Hall of Fame offensive linemen. According to Fowler, Munchak’s personality is not explosive.
“He’s pretty calm,” he said on 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station’s Doug and Wolf Tuesday. “Pretty measured guy but he does command respect. I think players acknowledge the fact that this is a Hall of Fame player who knows how to do it, but can relate to you as well and is a personable guy but does it in a pretty low-key way.”
Munchak has only been a head coach for three seasons, from 2011 to 2013, for the Tennessee Titans. In those three seasons, the Titans never made the playoffs. He had one winning season in 2011 of 9-7 and an overall record of 22-26. Fowler, however, believes Munchak’s second run could be better because of his recent time with the Steelers.
“As you know, offensive line coaches typically don’t get a chance and that is what could hurt Munchak here,” he said. “But based on his time in Pittsburgh he knows more than ever how to run an offense based on his involvement in that process, (including) Le’Veon Bell and his involvement with him, getting the ground game going. He’s really valued here and I think that will translate.”
Fowler believes that Munchak would have plenty of numbers to call in regards of new staff that he would want to bring along with him to Arizona.
“No names come to mind at the moment,” Fowler said. “Haven’t heard any concrete names but he has got 30 years of rolodex that he can draw from.”
With the Cardinals’ top defense, Munchak would be more hesitant to replace defensive coaches.
“I think he would be amenable to taking on staff retainment if it’s on the defensive side,” Fowler said. “I think he is a guy who stresses continuity so that would help the current Cardinals staffers in that regard.”
At least for the moment, Fowler believes that Munchak would bring a slower, old school type of system to the team.
“I think he’d be pretty open-minded from what I’ve gathered,” Fowler said. “I don’t know that he would be set on one system but it depends on the quarterback really.”
“If you’re going to have a ball control offense you might take a model like what we saw over the weekend with Jacksonville, Buffalo, try to control the game on the ground, have a good defense, run the ball and hope to win 17-10 for a while until you find a quarterback solution.”
