Four days before what will be his 19th regular-season game as a professional, Houston Texans defensive tackle Kurt Hinish couldn’t speak with any degree of certainty about whether he could count on the support of his family for Sunday’s game.

Hinish, who’s from Whitehall, was asked this week if his family would be rooting for the Texans or the Pittsburgh Steelers.

“I don’t know,” Hinish said, giving an honest reply. “I haven’t talked to them yet.”

A Central Catholic graduate whose family has deep roots in football (and athletics overall), Hinish recognizes that in Pittsburgh, love for family runs only about as deep as love for the Steelers.

“I remember being a kid on Sundays, watching the Steelers with my whole family,” Hinish said during a conference call with Pittsburgh media Wednesday. “My parents would make food and people would come over — everybody. It’s a religion in Pittsburgh to watch Steelers football.

“I am sure I will have family members rooting against me, but it’s all good. You’ll get some true ‘yinzers’ rooting for the Steelers.”

Hinish turned 12 the day before the Steelers drafted Cameron Heyward, a player any young defensive lineman growing up in the area would be proud to model his game after. Hinish hasn’t yet reached Heyward’s status of three times being named a first-team All-Pro, but he has proven an effective run-stuffing NFL defensive lineman early in his second NFL season.

It should come as no surprise, then, that judging by Hinish’s admitted upbringing in a “yinzer” family that his journey to being an NFL regular has gone by way of displaying what are regarded as the region’s most admirable attributes.

“He probably embodies what Pittsburgh is all about, right?” first-year Houston coach DeMeco Ryans said Wednesday. “Blue-collar, tough, hard-working guy. That’s what showed every day, from (organized team activities) through training camp. Kurt, he could be hurt, it doesn’t matter, he’s still pushing through. He’s never complaining, no excuses. Just always grinding, always working hard, giving his all every day. And Kurt has gotten much better, and he’s helped us really solidify our front. And he’s been a very important piece for us.”

The 6-foot-1, 296-pound Hinish has played 45% of the Texans’ defensive snaps this season, roughly the same rate as wehen he played in 15 of Houston’s 17 games last season. Hinish in 2022 even made three starts as an undrafted rookie out of Notre Dame.

“I was obviously upset that I wasn’t drafted,” Hinish said, “but I didn’t let that stop me from doing what I know I can do, which was get on the field and contribute and play on the (active roster). As an undrafted guy, I just needed an opportunity to get my foot in the door. That’s all I needed.”

A Trib Terrific 25 honoree in high school, Hinish helped to lead Central Catholic to WPIAL championships and PIAA championship game appearances his junior and senior seasons. The Vikings won the PIAA Class AAAA title in 2015.

Hinish played in four major bowls while at Notre Dame, including twice as part of the College Football Playoff. He played at what is now called Acrisure Stadium in high school and in college (a 2020 game at Pitt).

With Sunday’s game scheduled for Houston’s NRG Stadium, Hinish said this week’s opponent hasn’t registered any more with him than if he’d been preparing for any other team.

But if Hinish isn’t in the Steel City on Sunday, his coach says the Steel City is in Hinish. And Hinish is OK with Ryans saying that.

“I’ll be a Pittsburgh guy if that’s a good thing,” Hinish said. “Just a blue-collar, bring-your-lunchpail-to-work-every-day kind of guy.”

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