Steelers' Henry Mondeaux provides new excitement in No. 99

It could be argued one of the most popular players among fans of a recent generation of Pittsburgh Steelers was a defensive lineman drafted 242nd overall who was recognizable for the swaths of hair that crept out from his helmet while he played.

So imagine the reaction of many Steelers fans Sunday when a familiar No. 99 was spotted driving an opposing quarterback into the ground — but the bushy hair they spotted, this time, was coming out of the back of the helmet?

Henry Mondeaux finally is getting some NFL playing time during his third season after being an undrafted free agent. Mondeaux’s first NFL regular-season action has come over these past three Steelers games, the first time No. 99 has been worn during a game that mattered for the Steelers since Brett “Da Beard” Keisel ended his 13-year career in 2014.

“I am definitely familiar with (Keisel),” Mondeaux said during a video conference with media Monday. “I have seen him on film. He’s a legend around here.”

Henry Mondeaux returns to Jesuit High with the Ducks pic.twitter.com/7wD3CMgS93

— Nick Krupke (@NickKrupke) April 15, 2017

While Keisel’s contributions to two Super Bowl winners and three AFC titlists contribute to his “legendary” Pittsburgh status, the annually grown beard that extended well below his neck certainly helped.

Mondeaux has a long way to go to reach the stature of Keisel. But he does have the advantage of a similarly recognizable mane. The Portland, Ore., native has played with long wavy locks protruding out of his helmet since his days as a three-year starter for some quality Oregon teams.

“I don’t know when or how it started, but I tend to grow it out,” Mondeaux said. “And then one day I will decide it’s too much and shave it off because I’m tired of brushing it and all that. It’s kind of become part of who I am. It’s easy for my parents to see me when I am playing because I am ‘the guy with the long hair,’ so I kind of have to see it as part of identity now.”

Kind of like how the identity of this Steelers defense, despite its bevy of stars, increasingly is being defined by previously unknown and unheralded players. Mondeaux, second-year Isaiah Buggs and rookie seventh-round pick Carlos Davis have been asked to fill the void while veteran Tyson Alualu is out because of a knee injury.

Rookie linebacker Alex Highsmith is making an increasing impact, and most notably Robert Spillane has filled in admirably at inside linebacker since Devin Bush was lost for the season because of a torn ACL.

After spending most of 2018 as undrafted rookies on NFL practice squads, Spillane and Mondeaux became roommates last year after each joined the Steelers on reserve/future deals during the spring. Each was cut by the Steelers at the end of last year’s training camp but opened the regular season on the Steelers practice squad.

Thirteen months later, each has played a significant role on defense over the past three games for an undefeated Steelers team.

Quite the story, right? One Mondeaux couldn’t have believed when he was hanging on to a practice-squad role last fall?

“I would have told you it’s maybe unlikely from a fan’s perspective,” Mondeaux said, “but … I actually lived with Robert Spillane last year, and we were talking about moments like this all last year when we were both on the practice squad. It’s been part of our plan.”

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