Chance to play at Heinz Field led Stefen Wisniewski to join hometown Steelers

Growing up in South Fayette and playing football at Central Catholic, Stefen Wisniewski always dreamed of suiting up for a meaningful game at Heinz Field.

It will take 10 years into his NFL career, but that wish will finally come true in 2020 for the Pittsburgh Steelers newest offensive lineman.

Despite spending four years with the Oakland Raiders, one with the Jacksonville Jaguars, three with the Philadelphia Eagles and one with the Kansas City Chiefs, Wisniewski never had the schedule work out in his favor.

His only appearance at Heinz Field came in a 2016 preseason game with the Eagles.

“My whole career, I’m like, ‘Man, I want to play at Heinz Field,’” Wisniewski said this week in an interview with SiriusXM NFL Radio. “Obviously, I was hoping (to do it) as an away player, but getting to wear the black and gold at Heinz Field, I can’t even wrap my head around it.”

Wisniewski’s two-year, $2.85 million deal became official Wednesday after he signed his contract and passed his physical.

Wisniewski, who turned 31 on Sunday, will provide depth on the interior of the line in the wake of Ramon Foster’s retirement and B.J. Finney joining the Seattle Seahawks. Wisniewski could compete with Matt Feiler at left guard or serve as the top backup at guard and center.

Either way, Wisniewski is happy to be coming home.

“It’s awesome,” he said. “It’s every Pittsburgh kid’s dream.”

Wisniewski was out of work until he signed with the Chiefs in October. He played in 11 games, moving into the starting lineup late in the season. He continued to start all the way through the Chiefs’ run to the Super Bowl title in February. It was Wisniewski’s second Super Bowl win in three seasons.

Wisniewski said he enjoyed his time in Kansas City and there was talk of a return. Instead, he chose to come home.

“I have a lot of respect for the Steelers organization,” he said. “I think everyone within the NFL does. From the top down, the way the Rooneys conduct business. They do things the right way, they do it with integrity and character, they do it with loyalty and commitment to their players, which is becoming more and more rare in the NFL.

“Once you become a Steeler, they really take care of their own and are loyal to their guys and they have a culture of winning that they’ve built and sustained.”

When Wisniewski can begin learning the Steelers system and acclimating with his new teammates is unknown because of the coronavirus pandemic. The NFL has ordered teams to close their facilities, and offseason conditioning programs remain on hold.

If organized team activities and minicamp are eliminated because of the pandemic, Wisniewski might not get to practice with the Steelers for the first time until training camp. He told SiriusXM NFL Radio that it won’t be an issue.

“I think if I was a younger guy, maybe it would,” he said. “But as a veteran, I’ve played in a lot of different offenses. I showed up in Kansas City in Week 6 and played in a game 10 days later. I knew where I was going. I blocked the right guy. I might not have known every detail of the offense, but at this point in my career, I feel like I can learn an offense pretty quickly.”

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