Steelers lose OL coach Mike Munchak to Broncos, replace him with Shaun Sarrett

Many associated with the Pittsburgh Steelers breathed a sigh of relief last week when the Denver Broncos decided to hire Vic Fangio as their coach in lieu of respected Steelers offensive line coach Mike Munchak.

Turns out, that was premature.

Munchak has agreed to terms with the Broncos to become that team’s offensive line coach, the Steelers confirmed Monday evening.

The team quickly announced the promotion of Shaun Sarrett as Munchak’s replacement. Sarrett has worked closely with Steelers offensive lines over the past seven seasons, from 2012-17 as an offensive assistant and this past season with the title of assistant offensive line coach.

“We have full confidence in (Sarrett’s) coaching abilities,” coach Mike Tomlin said in a released statement, “and we look forward to using his experience as he has been preparing for this opportunity to take on the challenges that will presented to him.”

In retrospect, perhaps the Steelers were preparing for Munchak’s departure when they promoted Saurrett last February just weeks after Munchak had withdrawn his name from consideration to be a head coach of the Arizona Cardinals. Munchak’s contract with the Steelers expired at the end of the 2018 season; he has family in the Denver area, a reported factor in his decision to consider working for the Broncos.

Saurrett has the respect of the Steelers’ offensive linemen and is by all indications ready to be his own position coach. But that won’t completely abate the sting of the loss of Munchak, who was regarded across the league as one of the best offensive line coaches.

A Penn State graduate and Hall of Fame lineman for the Houston Oilers, Munchak had been the Steelers’ offensive line coach the past five seasons. He was very popular among his players, many of whom credited him for their success.

“His ability to connect with his guys and how he didn’t have to say much to get the most out of his guys because he’s already established a standard that’s been set,” right tackle Marcus Gilbert said early this past season. “He pushes us to be the best players we can be up front. And it shows in every guy. Any guy we put in there, they rise to the occasion and they play ball because he’s all about brotherhood and not letting your brother down. And I think we all fight for each other because of that.”

Three of the Steelers’ four healthy starting offensive linemen this season – center Maurkice Pouncey, right guard David DeCastro and left tackle Alejandro Villanueva – made the AFC Pro Bowl team.

It wasn’t just high-pedigree, first-round picks such as Pouncey and DeCastro who thrived under Munchak’s tutelage; several low draft picks or undrafted players thrived and became NFL regulars.

“Man, the stuff I’ve learned from Munchak is unbelievable,” said Jerald Hawkins, a 2016 Steelers fourth-round pick who’s missed two full seasons because of injury. “He’s opened up a wide majority of everything about, just as a sense of football, from knowledge wise just to the simple technique things.

“It’s like the stuff he teaches you, like, ‘(Dang), if I had been doing this for the longterm I would be even 10 times better than I am now.’ Since I have been here I feel like I have gotten better every year since I’ve been with him.”

Undrafted offensive linemen B.J. Finney and Matt Feiler proved capable starters at multiple positions each when injury struck along the line. Undrafted Chris Hubbard established himself well enough after four years with Munchak as his coach that he earned a $37.5 million contract with the Cleveland Browns last year.

Villanueva was a college-receiver-turned-NFL-castoff-defensive-lineman when the Steelers picked him up seven months into Munchak’s tenure with the team in 2014. By 2015, he was a starting left tackle. By 2017, he was named to the Pro Bowl.

Munchak spent his first 32 seasons in the NFL as part of the Oilers/Titans franchise, including between 2011-13 as head coach. He is the third assistant coach to leave the Steelers this offseason — running backs coach James Saxon and outside linebackers coach Joey Porter were let go by the team.Neither of their replacements have yet been named, a compliment to Sarrett that the Steelers had no need for a search to consider other candidates.

After a playing career at Kent State, Sarrett coached at Marshall and Duke in college before joining the Steelers in 2012, when Sean Kugler was the offensive line coach.

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Chris Adamski is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Chris at cadamski@tribweb.com or via Twitter @C_AdamskiTrib.