How sweet it is!
Steelers fans prepare for playoff game vs. Texans
For the first time since 2020, Acrisure Stadium (formerly Heinz Field), will host a playoff game when the Pittsburgh Steelers host the Houston Texans on Monday night to cap off the NFL鈥檚 Wild Card weekend.
And Pittsburgh Steelers fans are excited.
鈥淚t was amazing to see them win,鈥� said Suzanne Kelley of Washington, who was in the stands with her daughter, Knickeya Jones, when Baltimore Ravens rookie kicker missed a 44-yard field goal wide right as time expired Sunday night to send the Steelers into the playoffs. 鈥淚 was so nervous. I thought we were going to lose. I lost my mind when he missed that field goal and we won.鈥�
Locally, Steelers fans 鈥� including small businesses and schools 鈥� are getting into the spirit.
At Olde World Coffee & Gelato in Connellsville, owner Beth Georgi, a self-described die-hard Steelers fan, has introduced a Black & Gold cold brew topped with the shop鈥檚 signature Black & Gold gelato.
The gelato, which features chocolate, caramel drizzle and peanut butter cups, is a fan favorite during the football season.
Inside the shop, the mood has been festive, with the Black-and-Gold faithful feeling optimistic about the Steelers鈥� chances of advancing in the playoffs.
鈥淚 just think everybody鈥檚 happy on Monday mornings when the Steelers win. The whole mood is upbeat,鈥� said Georgi, whose grandmother, Eva Marcinek, was a 鈥渉ard-core鈥� Steelers fan who instilled in Georgi a passion for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Georgi 鈥� who recalled a Paul Bunyan statue in Uniontown that was painted black and gold 鈥� said the buzz around the upcoming playoff game is palpable.
鈥淧eople are so excited right now, we have something to talk about. I鈥檓 a diehard fan and I will root for them until the end. I鈥檓 always optimistic,鈥� said Georgi. 鈥淚 have a good feeling.鈥�
At Bethel Bakery, Steelers fans can wave their Terrible Towels, and can eat them, too.
Sales of the trademark Terrible Towel cookies and Steelers platter 鈥� which includes a Steelers cookie surrounded by cupcakes 鈥� have ticked up since the Steelers punched their ticket to the playoffs.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of Terrible Towel, a symbol of Steelers Nation that Steelers fans have whipped around during Steelers games for half a century.
鈥淭he Terrible Towel cookies are so popular. We鈥檙e selling a lot of cakes, game day platters, and Terrible Towel cookies,鈥� said Natalie Lacek, marketing coordinator for Bethel Bakery. 鈥淲e鈥檙e really excited about the Steelers, and we love when the city is excited about the team.鈥�
At L.A. Sweets in Washington, owner Linda Adkins is rolling up her sleeves to turn out Steelers-themed cookies for the game.
Adkins鈥� cookies will feature Steelers jerseys with the numbers of players including Cameron Heyward, T.J. Watt, Aaron Rodgers, Kenneth Gainwell, and more.
鈥淚 can鈥檛 tell you enough how excited I am about them making the playoffs,鈥� said Adkins, who watched the game at home.
She said her brother attended the game with his wife, a Baltimore-area native who is a lifelong Ravens fan.
鈥淚 was biting my nails on that kick. When we missed that extra point and then (the Ravens) got into field goal position, I didn鈥檛 know what was going to happen,鈥� said Adkins. 鈥淚 felt bad for the kicker, but I was excited that we won. I鈥檓 planning for the best. Who knows? The Steelers could win it all.鈥�
Adkins said L.A. Sweets, known for its pepperoni rolls, will be selling them all day Monday and plan to deliver orders that day, something the bakery doesn鈥檛 typically do.
There are plenty of other ways to get in the spirit for the playoff game.
From bridges to buildings, landmarks in the city will be lit up with the Steelers鈥� black and gold colors. Starting Thursday, themed photo ops will be available for fans at the 20th Street passageway in the Terminal in the Strip District and at baggage claim inside Pittsburgh International Airport.
The 鈥榮ister bridges鈥� on the north Shore 鈥� the Roberto Clemente, Andy Warhol, and Rachel Carson bridges 鈥� will feature black and gold colors around game day.
Several school districts are having Black and Gold Fridays and Mondays, where students and staff are encouraged to wear Steelers garb.
Historically, a Monday night home playoff game favors Pittsburgh in many ways. The Steelers haven鈥檛 lost a MNF game at home since 1991 鈥� 23 straight wins. Since 2002, Houston hasn鈥檛 won a road playoff game (they鈥檙e 0-6 all-time) and Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud has not thrown for a touchdown pass in two road playoff games.
But, the Steelers have lost six straight playoff games, the longest active streak in the NFL.
So, something has to give.
Linda Neill of North Strabane Township will be watching Monday鈥檚 playoff game at home and has a phone date planned with her nephew鈥檚 wife, Tracy, who lives in Harpers Ferry, W.Va. Both Steelers fans, the two have listened to the games together throughout the season, and are excited about the Steelers and Texans matchup.
鈥淎s we scream, cry, yell, and cheer (over the phone) it makes us feel as if we are not miles apart,鈥� said Neill in a Facebook post. 鈥淥ne thing about loving the Steelers is, even when people move away from Pittsburgh, they don鈥檛 leave the Steelers, they take the Steelers with them.鈥�
So, here鈥檚 to spending the next days listening to the most recent version of 鈥淗ere We Go,鈥� the iconic Steelers fight song written by Roger Wood, to gearing up for Styx鈥檚 鈥淩enegade鈥� in the third quarter of Monday鈥檚 game, and to rooting on the Steelers in their quest for a seventh Super Bowl title.
Lifelong Steelers fan Sarah Bell of Fredericktown will be attending the Steelers game with her sister, Brittney Bell.
鈥淚 am cautiously optimistic. I am taking it one playoff game at a time, but the Steelers are due to win a playoff game,鈥� said Bell. 鈥淚 think we are all elated about the win and the vibes are good, and I鈥檓 hoping that we win this game.鈥�