Steelers fans enthusiastic, optimistic ahead of home opener
Before the Steelers even kicked off their first home game of the season Sunday, Sean Ortega made a bold prediction: His favorite team would win the game, and go on to win the Super Bowl this year.
Ortega, 34, flew 2,000 miles from Arizona to be in Pittsburgh’s North Shore for his favorite team’s home opener.
“I’ve never seen so much black and yellow in my life,” said Ortega, whose attire consisted of a Steelers jersey, Pirates hat, black and gold shoes and a Terrible Towel hanging from his pocket.
Sunday marked his first visit to Acrisure Stadium. Tuesday, he plans to take in his first Pirates game at PNC Park, too.
Though he was born and raised in Arizona, his uncle was always a Steelers fan and passed on his love of the black and gold.
“It took me 34 years to get here,” Ortega said after snapping a photo with the Steely McBeam mascot.
Throngs of fans traveled near and far to cheer on the Steelers as they played the Seattle Seahawks Sunday. They blasted music at tailgates, grilled out in North Shore parking lots and posed for photos in front of a massive countdown clock keeping track of how long it will be before the NFL Draft comes to town in April.
Fans were largely bullish on the season ahead.
After watching the Steelers top the New York Jets by a score of 34-32 last week, Bart Huchel, 70, of Kennedy Township, is “very optimistic.”
He wanted to see the defense improve a bit, but Huchel was happy with the Steelers’ offensive performance. He predicted the team would notch at least 11 wins this season.
And he was thrilled to be tailgating.
Huchel pulled into a North Shore parking lot at 8 a.m. to set up a tailgate before the 1 p.m. game. His set-up featured cigars, a Miller Lite and a grill.
“Who can beat this?” he said, gesturing the setup.
Brian Lovett, 44, of Grove City, said he’s been a Steelers fan “since I was born.”
He was excited to watch Aaron Rodgers play as the team’s new quarterback.
“Two words — love him,” Lovett said of Rodgers. “He brings a veteran presence.”
Lovett was disappointed after watching the Pitt Panthers lose the Backyard Brawl to West Virginia University Saturday, but he was hopeful the Steelers would fare better Sunday. Plus, he was just happy to be there.
“I feel like it’s Christmas Day,” he said.
For Brian Bujdos, the verdict on Rodgers is still out.
“I don’t love him as a person,” he said. “But if he continues to play well, I’m 100% behind him.”
Bujdos was pleased with how Rodgers performed last week.
“We couldn’t have asked for much more,” he said.
Bujdos traveled from Scottsdale, Ariz., to visit family and watch the game. He brought with him his Terrible Towel, which has been to three Super Bowls.
Though Bujdos moved away from the Pittsburgh area about three decades ago, he’s still a dedicated fan. He has a room in his house adorned with Steelers memorabilia, and he recalls fondly the days of taking in games with his dad at Three Rivers Stadium.
Rodgers was a hot topic among tailgaters eager to see how the veteran quarterback would perform this year.
“If we don’t protect him, he’s not going to last,” said Mike McCart, 62, of New Castle.
Lauren Barnes stood behind a folding table decorated like a football field and lined with tailgating snacks. Her parents are season-ticket holders, so the group knows “all the tailgating tricks,” Barnes said.
“Aaron Rodgers impressed me the first game,” she said. “I wasn’t sure at first, but he seems pretty good.”
Regardless of how the Steelers perform, David Lee Brown said he felt like a winner Sunday.
Brown, of Pittsburgh’s Garfield neighborhood, was celebrating his 70th birthday with a tailgate, black and gold balloons and Steelers tickets.
“I’m a die-hard Steelers fan,” Brown said.
Brown has been a fan since the 1970s, but he doesn’t recall his birthday ever falling on the home opener before.
He hoped his birthday might bring the team luck.
“The only thing we need now is a win,” he said before the game. “I’m a winner regardless.”
Chris Suarino was already having a good time before the game started, too.
Suarino, 57, comes from New York to enjoy a few Steelers games in person every year. He has season tickets, but sells tickets for several games to other fans.
“My bucket list was always to be a season-ticket holder,” Saurino said.
He first became a Steelers fan rooting for Jack Lambert, he said, pointing to a photo of Lambert on a display about the team’s draft picks set up outside the stadium. Lambert was a Steelers linebacker from 1974 to 1984, part of the team’s legendary Steel Curtain defense of the era.
Suarino has rooted for the Steelers — in winning seasons and losing ones — ever since.
He has about 19 jerseys and he wears a black-and-gold wedding band.
“My wife says, ‘You were born to be black and yellow,’ ” Suarino said.
He’s excited to see how the team does this year. He thinks the Steelers will go to the AFC Championship game.
“I think the defense will turn around after last week’s game, and I think Aaron Rodgers is the perfect fit,” Suarino said.
Janet Foley, 47, of Green Tree, was also expecting a win Sunday.
“I think Aaron’s going to do his game,” she said, referring to Rodgers.
She watched her stepson, Emmett Foley, 9, play on a new turf field installed outside Acrisure Stadium. Kids tossed footballs and ran through agility courses.
Emmett, she said, was excited for the activities on the new field — which will also host events for the NFL Draft — ahead of his first Steelers game.
“He couldn’t wait to come over here,” she said.
Schuyler Kechely, 24, came to Pittsburgh from Cincinnati to enjoy the game with her boyfriend.
She was drawn to attractions like the NFL countdown clock that fans flocked to before kickoff.
“I didn’t expect it to be as lively as it was this morning,” she said. “I think doing things like this will probably get a ton of people interested.”
Julia Burdelski is a TribLive reporter covering Pittsburgh City Hall and other news in and around Pittsburgh. A La Roche University graduate, she joined the Trib in 2020. She can be reached at jburdelski@triblive.com.
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