No bull: Henry Mondeaux filling in admirably on Steelers’ defensive line

Henry Mondeaux’s execution of his first career sack was exquisite. The celebratory dance that followed? Not as much.

“It was supposed to be a matador,” the Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman said Monday of his moves the day prior, “but I don’t know how good it looked out there because I was so excited.”

Mondeaux can be forgiven after playing a career-high 28% of the Steelers’ defensive snaps during Sunday’s win against the Denver Broncos. After beginning the season on the practice squad, Mondeaux was promoted to the active roster when Tyson Alualu was placed on injured reserve Sept. 20.

With Stephon Tuitt still on injured reserve and second-year Carlos Davis out since Week 1 because of a knee injury, the Steelers’ once-vaunted defensive line position group is down to stalwart Cameron Heyward, veteran Chris Wormley, third-year Isaiah Buggs, rookie Isaiahh Loudermilk and Mondeaux, who has been part of the organization since 2019 but has appeared in only 19 regular-season games.

Undrafted out of Oregon in 2018, Mondeaux spent time with the New Orleans Saints but never was on the active roster as a rookie. He impressed the Steelers during the 2019 training camp and made the 53-man roster last year in part because of special-teams prowess.

Now, he’s getting his chance to contribute on defense.

“Playing D-line here, you kind of have to know all the insides and outs just in case because that’s just the way we have to operate,” Mondeaux said. “If somebody goes down, we can’t just throw our hands up in the air. We have to get the next guy in there and do our job.”

Henry Mondeaux explains his matador sack celebration

He doesn’t even know why that’s what he is using. Says he and TJ Watt and Bud Dupree kinda settled on that pic.twitter.com/dPZw4cOZO3

— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) October 11, 2021

Mondeaux did his job on a first down late in the third quarter, getting to and bringing down Denver quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.

Hearing Mondeaux tell how it came about exhibits just how savvy he is as an interior passrusher.

“They gave us an empty set, so we knew it was pass,” Mondeaux said. “And I was in a 1-on-1 situation, so I knew I had a two-way ‘go’ on the guard, and he over-settled a little bit but I used a spin move and broke through the line quick.

“I was happy about that, as happy about my identification before the play, knowing that it was going to be what it was, and we’d seen on film that their guards were over-setting a little bit, so I knew I had the opportunity to go inside, so that as good.”

About that celebration, though…

“The ole’!” teammate T.J. Watt said after the game, his face lighting up. “That’s his (move). He’s been doing that for a long time, and I always said I would do it with him (if Mondeaux got a sack during a game), so I hope it’s a pretty cool picture we could get.

“I was supposed to do the horns and run through as he hit the ole, but I was too excited.”

Just like Mondeaux, who can’t even explain why he chose a faux matador as his trademark dance.

“I wish I had a good answer for you,” Mondeaux said. “…I don’t even remember when it started.”

Mondeaux has a better answer for how the Steelers’ defensive line has endured the absence of so many contributors.

“We are going to have to do it with multiple people,” Mondeaux said, “and I think that we have done a good job collectively stepping into smaller roles to try to and really fill the hole that (Alualu) and Tuitt have left not being in there.”

Hey, Steelers Nation, get the latest news about the Pittsburgh Steelers here.