Steelers Bring Back Long Snapper Cal Adomitis on Reserve/Future Deal
The Pittsburgh Steelers are bringing back a familiar face - and a steady pair of hands - by signing long snapper Cal Adomitis to a reserve/future contract for the 2026 season.
Adomitis has logged 58 career NFL games, including 49 with the Cincinnati Bengals, one of Pittsburgh’s AFC North rivals. He also suited up for nine games with the Philadelphia Eagles earlier this season before being waived in December. That’s when the Steelers came calling.
Pittsburgh added Adomitis to the practice squad in mid-December, just as their regular long snapper, Christian Kuntz, popped up on the injury report with a knee issue. With Kuntz listed as questionable heading into a key matchup against the Detroit Lions, the Steelers needed insurance - and Adomitis was ready to answer the call.
“I got the call yesterday. I was actually in Arizona for a workout,” Adomitis said after a practice session at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex.
“My agent told me, ‘You’re flying back to Pittsburgh.’ I got in late last night, went through the physical this morning, and now I’m just staying ready.”
That kind of sudden transition - from the desert warmth of Arizona to the winter chill of Pittsburgh - is just part of life in the NFL trenches, especially for specialists like long snappers. But for Adomitis, it was also a bit surreal. Not just because he was back in black and gold, but because he was sharing the practice field with Kuntz - his offseason training partner.
“It was like a weird fever dream being out there in a Steelers uniform with him,” Adomitis said with a laugh. “Definitely a funny day.”
Despite the whirlwind, Adomitis didn’t see game action during the final three regular-season contests or in the Wild Card round. But his presence gave Pittsburgh much-needed depth at a position that often flies under the radar - until something goes wrong.
The good news for the Steelers? Adomitis brings experience and a sense of calm to the role. Long snapper terminology and schemes don’t vary much across the league, and he knows how to stay ready.
“You’ve gotta keep the perspective that that’s kinda part of the fun in it, and just enjoy the process,” he said. “My job doesn’t really change no matter where I am, so I’m ready to go if I’m called. I’m just trying to enjoy the ride and enjoy being in the black and gold.”
And for Pittsburgh fans, Adomitis is more than just a helmet and a jersey number. During his senior year at Pitt, he raised over $114,000 for the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh - a campaign that ended with him shaving off his long hair, which had become something of a signature look.
“The idea actually started as a joke with my old roommates,” he said. “They’d ask, ‘How much would it cost for us to cut your hair?’ So coming into that year, with all the excitement around the team, I thought we could really use that to do something good - raise money for a great cause and then shave it off at the end.”
Now, with a new contract in hand and a shot at competing for a roster spot in 2026, Adomitis is back where it all started - in Pittsburgh, doing what he does best.