Drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers, the defensive tackle had the unique opportunity to learn about the game by lining up alongside perennial Pro Bowl tackle and future Hall of Famer Ernie Stautner every day during Training Camp.
“There’s a guy that did everything from a defensive line standpoint the way it was coached,” Gunnels said. “He stayed squared-off. He stayed low. He did everything near perfect. He’s the only guy I know that really did everything that was that good. I had a lot of respect for him because I think he was probably as good an inside guy as there was in the league.