The Pittsburgh Steelers have responded to fan backlash about two of their players attending President Donald Trump’s rally last week.
On Friday, Donald Trump held a rally in West Mifflin, a borough 11 miles south of Pittsburgh. Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph, special teams captain Miles Killebrew and franchise legend Rocky Bleier (a running back who won four Super Bowls with the Steelers in the ’70s) attended the rally.
According to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Steelers sent out an email to disgruntled fans and season ticket holders who voiced their unhappiness with Rudolph, Killebrew and Bleier attending the rally.
Here’s what the email said, per Dulac:
“We appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts with us. As valued fans, your voice is an essential part of what makes our Steelers community and fan base so strong.
“We understand that a recent rally in Pittsburgh has generated a range of reactions from our fan base. Our alumni and current players make their own individual decisions that reflect their views, and they do not necessarily represent the view of the entire Pittsburgh Steelers organization. Thank you again for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your passion and your continued support of the team.”
Per Dulac, Bleier gave Donald Trump a Steelers jersey with a No. 47 on the back (he’s the 47th President of the United States). The No. 47 was worn by Steelers legendary cornerback Mel Blount, sparking more fan criticism.
President Trump’s second tenure in the White House has been controversial, to put it mildly. The nation’s economy has plummeted because of his tariffs on some of the USA’s top trade partners, for starters. The tourism economy has largely dropped thanks to his push for Canada to become the 51st state, something that will never happen.
Donald Trump has a long list of supporters inside the NFL, including Nick Bosa, Gardner Minshew II, Harrison Butker and Quinn Ewers. Former stars like Brett Favre, Brian Urlacher, Lawrence Taylor, Antonio Brown, Le’Veon Bell and Herschel Walker have also voiced their support for Trump.
The 78-year-old Trump has also received political donations from many NFL owners, including Jerry Jones (Dallas Cowboys), Shad Khan (Jacksonville Jaguars), Woody Johnson (New York Jets), Jimmy Haslam (Cleveland Browns), Stan Kroenke (Los Angeles Rams) and Stephen Ross (Miami Dolphins).
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