The Story And Significance Of Anthony Munoz - Eleven Straight First Or Second Team All-Pro Seasons At Left Tackle

Michael Anthony Muñoz is an American former football offensive tackle who played for 13 seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He played college football for the USC Trojans. In 2022, an ESPN panel named Muñoz as the greatest offensive tackle in NFL history. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1998.

Muñoz was the third overall pick in the 1980 NFL draft by the Cincinnati Bengals. His selection was viewed as a major risk by many pundits since knee problems limited the 6 ft. 6 in., 280-pound Muñoz to just a combined 16 games in his final two college seasons.

Muñoz became a starter in his rookie season and remained a fixture at left tackle for the Bengals for 13 seasons and is considered one of the greatest offensive linemen - if not the greatest - in NFL history. Despite his history of injuries, Muñoz missed just three games during his first 12 seasons. His rigorous workout routine included working out in the weight room he had installed in his home and running three to four miles every day. In addition to his talents as a blocker, Anthony Muñoz was also a capable receiver, notching seven receptions for 18 yards and scoring four touchdowns on tackle-eligible plays, including one in 1984 from rookie quarterback Boomer Esiason against the Cleveland Browns in Cleveland.

Muñoz played in two Super Bowls during his time with the Bengals, XVI and XXIII, both narrow losses to the San Francisco 49ers.

After missing much of the 1992 season battling knee and shoulder injuries, Muñoz attempted to play a 14th season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but he was released before the season started and decided to retire shortly after.

Muñoz was the Offensive Lineman of the Year in 1981, and 1988, and was awarded the NFL Players Association Lineman of the Year honors in 1981, 1985, 1988, and 1989. The NFL Alumni Association voted Munoz the Offensive Lineman of the Year four times (1987, 1989–1991). He won the Seagram's Seven Crowns of Sports award for Offensive Lineman of the Year in 1981 and 1986.

At the time of his retirement, his Pro Bowl selections were tied with Tom Mack for the most ever by an offensive lineman in league history, and also set the Bengals franchise record. In 1994, Muñoz was named to the National Football League 75th Anniversary All-Time Team. In 1999, he was ranked #17 on Sporting News' list of the 100 greatest football players and was the highest-ranked offensive lineman. In 2010, he was ranked #12 on the NFL Network's The Top 100: NFL's Greatest Players list and again was the highest-ranked offensive lineman.

In 1998, Muñoz was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was the first exclusive Cincinnati Bengals player to be enshrined. Shortly after receiving the honor, Muñoz's hometown of Ontario, California, renamed its Colony Park "Anthony Muñoz Hall of Fame Park". The renaming ceremony was held on June 26, 1998, and was attended by Muñoz, his family, city officials, and Ontario residents.

Muñoz was a member of the Bengals inaugural Ring of Honor class in 2021.

While the Bengals have not officially retired it, they have not reissued the number 78 since Muñoz left the team.

Muñoz appeared in two motion pictures: 1980's Borderline as "Guatemalan" and 1983's The Right Stuff (an Academy Award nominee for Best Picture) as "Gonzalez".

From 1994 to 1995, Muñoz served as a color commentator on Fox Sports' NFL telecasts and has for many years been color commentator for TV broadcasts of Bengals' preseason games.

Since 1992, Muñoz has starred in a series of commercials for the Cincinnati-area furniture store Furniture Fair.

In 2002, the Anthony Muñoz Foundation was created to consolidate Muñoz's charitable activities and encourages area individuals and businesses to "...impact area youth mentally, physically and spiritually". In 2004, Muñoz served on a panel to select the year's recipient of the Walter Payton Award. On November 14, 2012, Allstate dedicated a Hometown Hall of Famers plaque to Muñoz at Chaffey High School. On October 8, 2015, Muñoz received the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) Medallion of Excellence for his contributions to the Hispanic community.

Muñoz attended a celebrity flag-football game at Candlestick Park, the last event before the demolition of the stadium in 2014. He describes the event:

The final touchdown pass, there were probably 30,000 people in that stadium viewing a bunch of old guys playing a flag football game, but to see (Montana) throw to (DeBartolo) for the final touchdown there and to hear the fans go crazy and to see the admiration from these former players like Ronnie Lott and Joe Montana; that to me was impressive... to me, that's what it's all about.

Muñoz is of Mexican–American descent and met his wife at USC; they married during his sophomore year in 1978. They have two children. His son Michael played offensive lineman at Tennessee where he was an All-America and went undrafted in 2005. His daughter, Michelle, played basketball at Tennessee and later transferred to Ohio State.

Muñoz is a Christian. He has said, “My faith is everything for me in my life, college, my 13 years playing in the NFL. Now that I've been retired from the NFL it continues to be the most important thing in my life.”