To the entire Steelers organization,
As a season ticketholder and lifelong fan of the Black and Gold, I am writing to express my deep disappointment and concern following the recent decision by Rocky Bleier, Mason Rudolph and Miles Killebrew to name President Trump as an “honorary Steeler.”
The Steelers have always represented more than just the game of football. The team is a symbol of unity, resilience and pride for the people of Pittsburgh, for fans across the country and around the world. To see the organization’s name and legacy invoked in a highly politicized setting, and in a way that many fans — including myself — find divisive and inappropriate is truly disheartening.
While I can understand that players and alumni have the right to express their personal views, associating the team with the current presidential administration in such a public and symbolic manner crosses a line. Frankly, it alienates the team’s diverse and passionate fan base.
I urge the organization to reaffirm its commitment to remaining above the political fray and to ensure that the Steelers name is not used in ways that compromise the values of inclusivity and unity that so many of us hold dear.
Thank you for your time and attention. I hope the Steelers can continue to be a source of pride on and off the field … but at this moment, I am ashamed to call myself a fan.
Rebecca Farrell
Atlanta, Ga.
The writer is a Pittsburgh native.