PENN STATE HEAD COACH JOE PATERNO
Mike is a very dedicated and hard-working person. He has a thorough knowledge of all aspects of the game and has always strived for great achievement as a player and a coach.
FORMER HOUSTON OILERS QB WARREN MOON
Let me first say that I am elated for Mike and his family for this opportunity. He was such a hard worker and a consummate pro as a player. I can honestly say I didn't envision him in this role when we were playing together – he had a number of successful businesses he was running even as he played. I thought he had business aspirations. But the truth is, whatever he puts his mind to and works at, he finds success. It was just a matter of time until he would have success in coaching. Some folks have to go the coordinator route to reach the head coaching level, but being in the organization as long as he has, there is a comfort level with him and everyone knows who he is as a coach and a person. I think it is great that they are staying within the organization to make this hire. It will make the transition smoother and it is really smart not to start over, but build on the philosophy that is in place for the younger players.
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR GREGG WILLIAMS
I am one of only a few people in this league who have been fortunate enough to coach Mike as a player and also to be able to work alongside of him as a coach. I know him inside and out, and I couldn't be happier or prouder for him and his family to get this opportunity. He is a true blue Oiler/Titan and the organization couldn't have made a better choice.
He was a Hall of Fame player, and in my opinion is a Hall of Fame coach. He is one of the top assistants in the NFL today and the best offensive line coach I have been around. There is no doubt in my mind that he will be successful as a head coach.
A lot of people don't know this about him, but he was a very successful businessman while he played, which just shows his versatility and how smart he is. He was one of the smartest players I ever coached, one of the best technicians as a player and coach and one of the smartest businessmen I ever met. I am thrilled for him and his family.
DETROIT LIONS HEAD COACH JIM SCHWARTZ
I have never been around any coach or player who is so universally respected in the NFL community as Mike Munchak is, and I don't think that I fully grasped the magnitude of that respect until I left the Titans organization. I have tremendous admiration for the fact that even though Mike possessed Hall of Fame credentials as a player, he was willing to start at the bottom and earn his way up the coaching ladder – something not all ex-players are willing to do. He has been successful because of this love for the game, his attention to detail, and his blue-collar work ethic. I am known as someone who burns the midnight oil, and consistently Mike Munchak's car was the only one left in the parking lot when I left. Titans fans can sleep well knowing Munch is at the helm – I know I did.
GUARD JAKE SCOTT
I'm happy for him. I think he's going to do a great job in the position, and I think he's going to help the franchise. It's going to be a really good thing for all of us moving forward.
He's extremely detailed. He pays a lot of attention to the small details of the game. That's what makes us good as an offensive line, and it's going to be what makes us good as a team.
TACKLE MICHAEL ROOS
I think it is good for our team and I think it is good for Munch's career. Last week, I went to the facility and talked with him and he seemed really excited about the possibility and the direction the team could go. I think it is a great hire and I think it's good for everyone in the locker room and with the team to have someone from inside that knows everything and has been around the organization for that long and knows the ins-and-outs.
I think Munch has been regarded as one of the best offensive line coaches in the league. He is an intense guy, but he is not a screamer or yeller. He just gets the most out of his players because you want to do well for him. That is the kind of respect that he commands, and he gets it. To be able to bring that to the head coaching position, I think it will trickle down to the entire team and bring focus and hard work. That is the kind of work ethic he demands.
Even for guys that have never watched him play or don't know much, the fact that he is a Hall of Fame offensive lineman is big. He has played in the league, he understands what it takes to play in the league and he played it at the highest level possible, you can't have a bigger honor as an individual in this game. It is the kind of thing that instantly commands respect and guys will and should respect him. Everything he says you have to take it knowing all the stuff that comes behind it.
FORMER CENTER KEVIN MAWAE
I think he is a great choice for the job. He obviously was a great player. I played for him and he is an incredible coach. I think he will do an awesome job. He knows more about the game. Just because he has never been an offensive coordinator doesn't mean that he won't be able to accomplish the job the way it needs to get done.
I think the biggest thing is that he has the experience. He played for 12 years in the NFL and played at the highest level. He is one of the very privileged few that owns a yellow jacket and has a bust in the Hall of Fame. There is not a whole lot more that needs to be said about him as a player and a coach. He gets instant respect because he did play. He coaches from the position that he has been there and done that and the guys respect that and honor that.
I think he is cool under pressure. He has seen a lot and there have been situations when I played for him where a lot of coaches would have blown up on the sidelines, but he saves that for the meeting rooms. His whole definition of being professional is someone who knows what to do and does it. He expects people to know their jobs and he expects people to fulfill their roles. If they can't do that, then he is of the opinion that you go find someone that can. That is the thing about the NFL – if one guy can't do it, then you go get somebody else. He is not afraid to pull the trigger like that.