Steelers have found the most bizarre good-luck charm in football
By Tommy Jaggi
The Pittsburgh Steelers gave a terrific team effort against the Saints, but fans are starting to take note of their success when their new good-luck charms are on the field.
As the Pittsburgh Steelers were warming up for their Week 10 game against the New Orleans Saints at Acrisure Stadium, it was impossible not to notice an unusual sight in the background. A flock of pigeons had flooded the field, and they weren’t going away anytime soon.
Pigeons in a big city like Pittsburgh are nothing new. However, the fact that a heap of them hung out for so long among a few dozen fast-moving football players in the midst of a crowd of over 66,000 strong is something you don’t see every day.
The Fox Sports: NFL account tweeted out this video of Steelers QB Kenny Pickett warming up before the game. This is not exactly the backdrop we are used to seeing on game day.
These pigeons were fearless — unbothered by the erupting crowd noise or the testosterone-filled players colliding right before their eyes. They had the best seats in the house and lacked a good enough reason to give them up. Here’s a picture a fan took from inside the stadium.
Oddly enough, this isn’t the first time the pigeons have casually hung out on the field for a Pittsburgh Steelers game this year. In their previous home game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers back in Week 6, these pigeons first made headlines. Officials could be seen trying to shoo them off the field.
Here’s the eerie part: the Steelers are now 2-0 when the pigeons are on the field, which means that they are just 1-6 when their new feathered friends don’t show up in support. And we thought it was T.J. Watt who made all the difference! (This is satire, of course).
The Pittsburgh Steelers official Twitter account had a little fun with it — photoshopping one pigeon tricked out with the Kirk Cousins-like swag.
The Pigeons quickly grew in popularity — so much so that one Twitter account came up with its own alternate logo for this team with a title that reads, “Pittsburgh Pigeons.” It does have a nice ring to it, I have to admit.
At the end of the day, sane fans know that the pigeons have absolutely nothing to do with the outcome of the game… but they do make for a fun little side story. When things have gone comically bad for the Pittsburgh Steelers at points this year, we can take comfort in knowing that the pigeons were there to brighten our day.
Who knows; perhaps they will show up on Sunday and help us upset the Cincinnati Bengals. Maybe Mike Tomlin has the ability to summon them like the pigeon lady on Home Alone 2. Let’s keep this undefeated record going with this bizarre good-luck charm.