Why Steelers' Christian Kuntz is 'indifferent' about first training camp without Mike Tomlin

For the first time since 2006, Mike Tomlin will not be serving as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers when they open training camp. 

Like others in the Pittsburgh locker room, long snapper Christian Kuntz had only Tomlin as a head coach until the 54-year-old stepped down this past winter. During the latest edition of his podcast, Kuntz discussed how he is feeling about knowing that he'll be working with first-year Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy after players report for camp on July 28. 

It's like Steelers players are entering their "first training camp again"

"I'm indifferent about it because I don't know what's gonna happen," Kuntz explained, per Josh Carney of the Steelers' website. "Like, I don't know, you know? It feels like my first training camp again because for the last six years in camp, I've had [Tomlin]...I've known what was expected of me physically, mentally, schedule-wise. Now it's like a whole new camp. It's kinda...it's wild."

Regardless of what anybody has said about the matter, the perception exists that the Steelers hired McCarthy largely because he was Pittsburgh QB1 Aaron Rodgers' head coach when the two were with the Green Bay Packers from 2006 through a portion of the 2018 season. It's worth noting that the fact that McCarthy is still a relatively new face among Steelers players isn't the only reason training camp will be a different experience for those involved this summer. 

Rodgers, a future Hall of Famer, confirmed this past spring that this will be the last season of his playing career. Some think that Kuntz and his teammates will be extra motivated to want to be at their best so that they can make Rodgers' "Last Dance" campaign as special as possible.

Christian Kuntz ready to play in Week 1 right now

"I wouldn't say uneasy," Kuntz added about his mindset heading into training camp. "I would say like nervous, like a good nervous. Anxious. Ready to get back to football and ready to perform. This is a performance league. If you don't play good, you're not gonna have a job. So yeah, you're a little anxious to play and anxious to get your tape out there and anxious to do well. If I could fast-forward to Week 1, no disrespect to the preseason, yeah, I'd fast-forward to Week 1."

The Steelers will open the regular season with a home game versus the Atlanta Falcons on Sept. 13. As much as Kuntz wishes that game was happening this weekend, he will need to focus on trying to stay as healthy as possible from the start of training camp through early September.