When Kansas City Chiefs center Austin Reiter learned during his Super Bowl media conference call that a Pittsburgh reporter wanted to ask a question, he anticipated the subject.
And he was more than happy to talk about Stefen Wisniewski and what his return has meant to the team’s decimated offensive line.
“It’s great to have Wiz back,” Reiter said. “I was super pumped.”
Released in November following a seven-month stint with his hometown Pittsburgh Steelers, Wisniewski resurfaced a few weeks later with the Chiefs, his employer in 2019. Because of a third season-ending injury sustained on the offensive line, Wisniewski will start in the Super Bowl for a second year in a row. And he’ll be chasing his third ring in four seasons.
The Chiefs consider themselves fortunate to be able to plug in a 10-year NFL veteran for the most important game of the season.
“He’s a great guy to have back in the room,” Reiter said. “He’s a vet guy who knows how to play in these big games and in these big moments.”
Three months ago, Wisniewski’s return to Kansas City and his participation in another run to the Super Bowl was improbable to say the least. When he signed a two-year contract with the Steelers in March, it looked like the Central Catholic grad and Penn State product might finish his career with his hometown team.
Wisniewski was not made available by the NFL for interviews during Super Bowl week, but he previously spoke with the Sports Spectrum podcast about his journey.
“It really was an answer to my mother’s prayers,” Wisniewski said of his signing with the Steelers.
Pegged to begin the season as a backup, Wisniewski started the season opener because of an injury to guard David DeCastro. Late in the 26-21 victory at the New York Giants, he suffered a chest injury that led to a stint on injured reserve.
Wisniewski was activated Nov. 4, but with his injury not completely healed, he was released three days later so the Steelers could make room for newly acquired inside linebacker Avery Williamson. Wisniewski never got a chance to play a regular-season game at Heinz Field.
Two weeks later, with Wisniewski at home contemplating retirement, his phone rang.
“The Chiefs said, ‘Do you want to come back?’ and I said, ‘Yeah, yeah, I do, I sure do,’ ” Wisniewski told Sports Spectrum. “It’s funny, you think things are going to go one way, and it takes a sharp turn another way.”
The Chiefs already had lost two linemen to season-ending injuries while another opted out of playing this season because of the coronavirus pandemic. Wisniewski was brought back as insurance.
“He was a huge help to me my rookie year,” second-year guard Nick Allegretti said. “He knew all the little things, how to take care of your body, how to practice and prepare. He was probably one of the biggest influences in my rookie year. To have him come back, I know all the young guys definitely appreciated it.”
Wisniewski started out on the Chiefs practice squad but eventually made his way to the 53-man roster. He appeared in the final four games of the season, starting twice. Wisniewski didn’t play in the divisional playoff round, but he was pressed into duty when left tackle Eric Fisher tore an Achilles tendon in the AFC championship game. Right tackle Mike Remmers replaced Fisher, guard Andrew Wylie moved to right tackle and Wisniewski took Wylie’s spot.
When the Super Bowl is played Sunday, Reiter will be the only lineman occupying the same position he manned at the start of the season. Wisniewski, however, will be back in his familiar spot, even though he took a circuitous route back to the NFL’s biggest stage.
“We only have two guys on the line who will be back for another Super Bowl,” Reiter said. “To get Wiz back out there and having someone with that experience who has done it before definitely helps us.”
