The Pittsburgh Steelers have long been considered one of America’s most beloved football franchises.
But the team just betrayed their own players in the most cowardly way possible.
And Donald Trump got one nasty surprise from the Pittsburgh Steelers that left him shaking his head.
Steelers players show support for Donald Trump at Pittsburgh rally
President Donald Trump appeared at a U.S. Steel facility in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania on Friday where he revealed plans to increase steel tariffs.
The crowd got an unexpected treat when three Pittsburgh football legends took the stage.
Current Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph and safety Miles Killebrew joined former running back Rocky Bleier to honor Trump with a personalized Steelers jersey bearing the number 47.
The jersey honored Trump’s status as the 47th President of the United States.
“I happen to think a really good quarterback is a man named Mason Rudolph,” Trump said while introducing the Steelers players. “And I think he’s going to get a big shot. He’s tall, he’s handsome, got a great arm and I have a feeling he’s going to be the guy.”
During the jersey presentation, Rocky Bleier delivered a powerful tribute to Trump.
“I have the honor of making you an honorary Pittsburgh Steeler, and would like to present to you your jersey,” Bleier announced to the crowd.
Bleier called Donald Trump a “Hall of Fame president.”
The moment was electric as thousands of Pittsburgh fans showed their appreciation for both their team and their President at the U.S. Steel facility.
Woke fans throw a tantrum over players supporting Trump
But the celebration didn’t sit well with every Steelers fan.
Multiple news outlets reported that the team received angry messages from supporters who didn’t appreciate their players appearing alongside Trump.
Fans fired off complaints through various channels demanding the organization take a stand against the players’ actions.
The woke mob couldn’t stand seeing their favorite football players support the President at a U.S. Steel event.
Rather than standing behind their players, the Steelers organization buckled under pressure.
Team management sent out a weak-kneed response that essentially disavowed the players’ actions.
Steelers organization throws players under the bus
The email from the Steelers front office was a masterclass in spineless corporate speak.
“We appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts with us,” the email began. “As valued fans, your voice is an essential part of what makes our Steelers community and fan base so strong.”
The team then distanced itself from the players’ show of support for Trump.
“We understand that a recent rally in Pittsburgh has generated a range of reactions from our fan base,” the email continued. “Our alumni and current players make their own individual decisions that reflect their views, and they do not necessarily represent the view of the entire Pittsburgh Steelers organization.”
The email concluded with more groveling to the woke fans: “Thank you again for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your passion and your continued support of the team.”
What the Steelers organization failed to mention in their email was how many fans were thrilled to see their players supporting President Trump.
The team only addressed the complaints from the triggered leftists while ignoring the thousands of fans who loved seeing Rudolph, Killebrew, and Bleier at the U.S. Steel event.
Steelers choose politics over players
This incident reveals everything wrong with modern professional sports organizations.
The Steelers had a choice between standing behind their players or appeasing a vocal minority of woke fans.
They chose the latter.
Instead of celebrating their players for exercising their constitutional right to support the President, the Steelers threw them under the bus to avoid controversy.
The organization could have simply said they support their players’ right to participate in the political process and left it at that.
But corporate cowardice won the day in Pittsburgh.
Mason Rudolph, Miles Killebrew, and Rocky Bleier showed class and courage by publicly supporting President Trump.
Their own organization showed neither.
The Steelers’ response sends a clear message to their players: keep your conservative political views to yourself or face public humiliation from your own team.
This is exactly the type of spineless leadership that has turned so many Americans off from professional sports.
When teams care more about appeasing woke fans than supporting their own players, they’ve lost their way completely.
The Pittsburgh Steelers used to represent blue-collar American values.
Now they represent corporate cowardice in the face of leftist pressure.
