The Steelers would have some representatives in the Olympics if the sport was in the Tokyo Olympic Games.
The game of American football as seen in the NFL is not widely popular across the world. It is still not very well known in different countries. That is one of the many reasons the sport has not grown in other nations with their own formation of leagues. It is an expensive sport to get into and many other nations are huge into soccer.
This is a completely hypothetical idea if football were to enter the Olympics as it does not seem likely to ever happen. It would be complete domination by team USA and it wouldn’t be close. The team would be filled with all-star talent and future Hall of Famers as well. Some of those amazing players would include representatives from the Steelers.
Stephon Tuitt, DL
Stephon Tuitt is coming off the most dominant season of his career. The guy has always had the talent but injuries have hampered him so far. He is a great player that should easily make Team USA for the Olympics. He is not a well-known name throughout the league because of all the amazing players on defense that he is deployed with.
Tuitt is dominant in his own right and it stands out. He can blow up plays in all phases of his position and his motor is nonstop. He gets after the passer while also setting the tone when it comes to defending the run. He has been a freak athlete for his size ever since coming out of Notre Dame. He might not be the starter on this stacked team but he would be a nice role player that makes this roster heading to Tokyo.
Cam Heyward, DL
Cam Heyward has been the leader of the Pittsburgh Steelers for many years now. His skills on a football field are known well but this player might be one of the best leaders the black and gold has ever seen. He continues to be a leader and mentor on the team by showing players what it means to be a Steeler. This leadership mentality would be huge for Team USA as they search for comradery. Many of these players will not have played together before this event so some things will need to be worked out so the players can find a way to quickly gel. Leadership by players like Heyward would be a huge step in the right direction.
Besides his leadership mentality, Heyward is an amazing player on the grass field in Pittsburgh. His grit and determination have led to his sheer force shown on the football field. He has been a great player ever since his role increased since coming out of Ohio State. He is a smart and instinctive player that never quits on a play. He will run down the field and chase people if necessary. He will do whatever it takes to win a football game. This would be a huge character guy that glues together this newly found team. Each ball club needs someone like Heyward that will help the team build chemistry while he goes out and produces on the field at a high level.
Minkah Fitzpatrick, FS
Minkah Fitzpatrick is the best free safety in the NFL and there is little discussion to combat that statement. He would be the instant plug-and-play starter for Team USA’s defense. He is such a great player and makes any secondary better as soon as he is inserted into the lineup. He turned the Steelers secondary from a discombobulated mess to a top secondary in the league. He is a playmaker in all facets of football and he would shine in Tokyo for these Olympics. He might be one of the best players on that roster and that is saying something about this guy.
He stands out in a crowd of talented teammates with his current employer. He plays alongside guys like T.J. Watt, Cam Heyward, Joe Haden, and many others. There are so many Pro Bowlers and All-stars that he plays with every week but many analysts bring up this player and his special abilities displayed on a football field. This would be a fun player to watch during an Olympic tournament and see what he can do against lesser talent. Fitzpatrick already shows dominance against some top players in the NFL, imagine seeing him play against some lesser talented countries. That is an exciting thought for USA fans as they would watch one of the best teams ever assembled at once.
T.J. Watt, EDGE
T.J. Watt would be a lock not only to make Team USA but to be the starter for the team at the edge rusher position. He is a complete force at the outside linebacker spot for the Steelers and it is well known across the football universe. He should have won Defensive Player of the Year at least once so far in his career, only to be snubbed. This guy is a nonstop defensive force and many have not seen anything like this since his brother J.J. Watt showed the same dominance. It is something else to watch commence on Sundays against top-level tackles in the league. Him facing off against a player that only has a few years of experience in the sport would be rather unfair.
Watt might be the best player on this hypothetical Team USA’s defense, even though he would have some rivals for that honor. He is one of the best defensive players in the game and no one can overcome his consistent numbers over the last couple of seasons. This player for the Steelers is the best in the game at his position and will be for a long time. Seeing him represent the colors of his country would be a great thing to watch as he racked up his stats to godly numbers.
The Steelers would be well represented in this hypothetical Olympic scenario. This sport might never happen in the games but it would be fun to watch.