Steelers Sign Pitt's Cal Adomitis After Special Teams Injury

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers might have a new long snapper for their Week 16 contest against the Detroit Lions. After their usual starter, Christian Kuntz, popped up on the team's injury report late in the week, the organization decided to proceed with caution.

Rather than banking on Kuntz being ready to go, the Steelers added former Cincinnati Bengals and Philadelphia Eagles long snapper Cal Adomitis to their practice squad. In a corresponding move, the team released linebacker Kana'i Mauga.

The Steelers quickly worked to get Adomitis up to speed. He was in the facilities and participating in their final practice before heading to Detroit. Both he and Kuntz took reps with the special teams unit during the team session, giving the team two options at long snapper without having to use their emergency option, defensive lineman Logan Lee.

Local Kid Comes Home

Whether or not he takes the field for the Steelers, this is a homecoming for the 27-year-old Adomitis. He is a native of the city of Pittsburgh, and he attended Pittsburgh Central Catholic High School before playing five seasons at the University of Pittsburgh.

While at Pitt, he became one of the top long snappers in the NCAA. During his final year at the university, he was named a first-team All-American and given the Patrick Mannelly Award as the nation's top long snapper.

Sep 15, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Cincinnati Bengals long snapper Cal Adomitis (48) leaves the field after a game against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Road Back to Pittsburgh

After Adomitis finished his collegiate career, he went undrafted during the 2022 NFL Draft. Shortly after, however, he signed with the Bengals and played in 15 games as a rookie. The following two seasons, he appeared in every game as the team's starter. Over 49 games in a Bengals uniform, he made six total tackles.

Previously this season, he spent time on the opposite side of Pennsylvania. He began the 2025 campaign with the Eagles, playing in nine games over the first 14 weeks of the season. He was released by Philadelphia after their Week 14 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, paving the way for him to sign with the Steelers.

Tough Injury Year for Kuntz

The knee injury to Kuntz is a continuation of a challenging year for the veteran long snapper. During the team's preseason contest against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he suffered a scary chest injury that turned out to be a fracture in his clavicle. He missed several weeks but was able to return for the season opener. Now, Kuntz is again looking to recover quickly enough to avoid missing any games.

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