Gold Jacket Spotlight: ‘Munch’ offered simple, successful message
Gold Jacket Spotlight
Published on : 5/15/2023
Throughout his playing and coaching careers, MIKE MUNCHAK'S message was simple, clear, and success-generating.
Discussing Mike’s coaching experiences during a 2018 interview, longtime teammate and friend BRUCE MATTHEWS observed, “He has a very simple message about hard work, integrity and being a great teammate that I think really resonates with players.”
Later, while presenting Mike for enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Matthews said: “He set a standard of excellence that myself and every offensive lineman who played with him has tried to emulate.”
Mike’s sharing and the modeling of his message are the subjects of this week’s Gold Jacket Spotlight.
It was clear to Mike’s high school coach at Scranton (Pa.) Central that his fullback — Mike would not transition to the offensive line until his career at Penn State — not only had the potential to be a talented player, but also the desire to take on the workload required to achieve success.
“I knew Mike had all the tools to be a great football player, but I think his attitude and his training and everything else before that made him what he is today,” observed former Central coach Emil “Moe” DeCantis at the retirement ceremony for Mike’s No. 63 Oilers jersey in Houston in 1994.
At the time, Mike was only the fourth Oiler to have his jersey retired by the organization.
Among those attitudes DeCantis discovered was Mike’s loyalty, a trait then-Penn State offensive coordinator and line coach Dick Anderson appreciated when he told writer Jim Redden, “Mike has all the attributes and was probably one of the best linemen we’ve had here. He has the blend of speed, balance and talent that would allow him to play anywhere on the line. He also is very loyal and will make you a real company man.”
Matthews, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2007, noted, “For me, as a first-round draft pick to come in and have the example that Mike set every day for me in practice, I think we made each other better players. It was something that I really treasure.”
WARREN MOON, former Oilers’ quarterback, Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2006 member and Mike’s teammate declared, “It’s a security blanket knowing you have a guy that works as hard as he does and pays such attention to detail and is such a perfectionist. And because of the way he plays, he’s a natural-born leader. Even though he’s not a very boisterous guy, guys follow him because of the way he prepares. It was just a great experience to be playing next to him for 10 years of my career.”
Equally valuable as loyalty, the fellowship of teammates and the continued encouragement Mike received from his hometown were special to the offensive lineman.
“Pro football has allowed me to play a game I have loved since I was 8 years old. The camaraderie of the people, the following from my hometown — Scranton — means more to me than retiring my jersey, means more to me than the Pro Bowl,” Mike once said.
During Mike’s 2001 Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement speech, he offered, “The thing I miss most about playing in the NFL is the camaraderie with my teammates. Our weekly Thursday night get-togethers and frequent practical jokes in the locker room allowed us to bond in a way that carried over to our success on the field.”
And, not surprisingly, Mike has supported and paid homage to the Scranton community via his civic efforts. Among those will be the 27th annual Mike Munchak Charity Golf Classic this June to assist the United Way of Lackawanna and Wayne Counties.
A classic example of Mike sending a simple, clear, successful message.
Discussing Mike’s coaching experiences during a 2018 interview, longtime teammate and friend BRUCE MATTHEWS observed, “He has a very simple message about hard work, integrity and being a great teammate that I think really resonates with players.”
Later, while presenting Mike for enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Matthews said: “He set a standard of excellence that myself and every offensive lineman who played with him has tried to emulate.”
Mike’s sharing and the modeling of his message are the subjects of this week’s Gold Jacket Spotlight.
It was clear to Mike’s high school coach at Scranton (Pa.) Central that his fullback — Mike would not transition to the offensive line until his career at Penn State — not only had the potential to be a talented player, but also the desire to take on the workload required to achieve success.
“I knew Mike had all the tools to be a great football player, but I think his attitude and his training and everything else before that made him what he is today,” observed former Central coach Emil “Moe” DeCantis at the retirement ceremony for Mike’s No. 63 Oilers jersey in Houston in 1994.
At the time, Mike was only the fourth Oiler to have his jersey retired by the organization.
Among those attitudes DeCantis discovered was Mike’s loyalty, a trait then-Penn State offensive coordinator and line coach Dick Anderson appreciated when he told writer Jim Redden, “Mike has all the attributes and was probably one of the best linemen we’ve had here. He has the blend of speed, balance and talent that would allow him to play anywhere on the line. He also is very loyal and will make you a real company man.”
Matthews, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2007, noted, “For me, as a first-round draft pick to come in and have the example that Mike set every day for me in practice, I think we made each other better players. It was something that I really treasure.”
WARREN MOON, former Oilers’ quarterback, Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2006 member and Mike’s teammate declared, “It’s a security blanket knowing you have a guy that works as hard as he does and pays such attention to detail and is such a perfectionist. And because of the way he plays, he’s a natural-born leader. Even though he’s not a very boisterous guy, guys follow him because of the way he prepares. It was just a great experience to be playing next to him for 10 years of my career.”
Equally valuable as loyalty, the fellowship of teammates and the continued encouragement Mike received from his hometown were special to the offensive lineman.
“Pro football has allowed me to play a game I have loved since I was 8 years old. The camaraderie of the people, the following from my hometown — Scranton — means more to me than retiring my jersey, means more to me than the Pro Bowl,” Mike once said.
During Mike’s 2001 Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement speech, he offered, “The thing I miss most about playing in the NFL is the camaraderie with my teammates. Our weekly Thursday night get-togethers and frequent practical jokes in the locker room allowed us to bond in a way that carried over to our success on the field.”
And, not surprisingly, Mike has supported and paid homage to the Scranton community via his civic efforts. Among those will be the 27th annual Mike Munchak Charity Golf Classic this June to assist the United Way of Lackawanna and Wayne Counties.
A classic example of Mike sending a simple, clear, successful message.
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