Alejandro Villanueva accepts reality of expiring contract with Steelers

Chris Adamski
Friday, Dec. 18, 2020 4:31 p.m. | Friday, Dec. 18, 2020 4:31 p.m.

Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Alejandro Villanueva blocks during a game last season. In his sixth season as the Steelers’ starting left tackle, Villanueva’s contract expires this spring.

It’s quite possible that these are the final handful of games in the remarkable Pittsburgh Steelers tenure of left tackle Alejandro Villanueva. Like most things relating to the former Army Ranger and college wide receiver, Villanueva approaches that reality from a unique perspective and mindset.

“This is the 16th or 17th city I’ve lived in in my life,” Villanueva said during a video conference call with media Friday. “My whole life has been, ‘Where are we going to go, Dad? Where will we be living next year?

“For me, (coming to the end of an NFL contract is) no different. It for sure makes you appreciate everything: your friendships, your teammates, the city of Pittsburgh, Western Pennsylvania.”

The four-year, $24 million contract Villanueva signed upon the opening of the 2017 training camp is about to expire. He’ll be 33 by Week 3 of next season, and there was no known meaningful effort from the Steelers to lock Villanueva up with another extension this past summer.

With up to 10 starter-caliber players on expiring contracts whose playing tenures with the #Steelers could end as soon? https://t.co/y8J7hDHmKq

— Tribune-ReviewSports (@TribSports) December 13, 2020

Villanueva has been the Steelers’ left tackle since he replaced an injured Kelvin Beachum early during the Week 6 game of the 2015 season. That was less than a year and a half after the Steelers signed him following a failed trial as a defensive end for the Philadelphia Eagles. But that unique NFL story isn’t even close to being the most unique aspect of Villanueva’s life.

Born on a naval base the son of a Spanish Naval officer, Villanueva lived in several countries and states growing up. He eventually enrolled at West Point, served three tours of active service in Afghanistan and at age 27, finally made his NFL regular-season debut.

Friday, Villanueva compared the boom-or-bust nature of playing left tackle in the NFL to parachuting out of airplanes.

Safe to say, it’ll take far more to shake Villanueva than having an expiring contract and football-career uncertainty in 2021 and beyond.

Alejandro Villanueva speaking the truth about not letting social media or the news affecting your life.

Said he switched to a flip phone this past year.

“I’m somewhere between a 2020 millennial and an Amish person from central Pennsylvania.” pic.twitter.com/hR5oJEyDA6

— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) December 18, 2020

“It’s been some interesting years in my life,” Villanueva said of his Steelers tenure. “I don’t know what’s going to happen in the future, but it’s not something I’m going to dwell on. I’ve lived in 17 other cities. I know I probably won’t live in Pittsburgh 10 years from now (regardless). It just makes you appreciate space and time and all the weird things we have going on in our lives.”

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Chris Adamski is a TribLive reporter who has covered primarily the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2014 following two seasons on the Penn State football beat. A Western Pennsylvania native, he joined the Trib in 2012 after spending a decade covering Pittsburgh sports for other outlets. He can be reached at cadamski@triblive.com.