If the downpour that soaked Steelers fans during pregame at Heinz Field on Sunday afternoon was supposed to dampen the excitement that comes with a home opener, it failed to do so in a major way.
With the team playing its first regular season home game of the season, fans were just as excited as ever for the Steelers to open the home portion of their 2016 schedule. That excitement only grew as kickoff got closer, and hit a peak late in the fourth quarter as William Gay forced a fumble that helped seal the game for the Steelers.
As exciting as the end of the game was, the afternoon got started in a fun way for a number of Steelers Nation Unite members, as they were selected via RSVP and Check In to be on the field during warm-ups and take part in on-field experiences.
The official home of Steelers Nation, Steelers Nation Unite is how fans get rewarded with exclusive benefits and score access to content and events that keep them connected with the team all year long.
Check out these photos of fans enjoying exclusive experiences delivered by Steelers Nation Unite at the 2016 home opener against the Bengals.
For members Anthony and Katie Berdis of Massillion, OH, experiencing their first home opener was going to be exciting enough, but then Katie got a special message from Steelers Nation Unite during the week leading up to the game.
With an invite to be on the field on game day, it was something that sounded too good to be true, and actually made her a little bit late for work.
"I texted [Anthony] immediately. It was insane. We were so excited," said Katie. "Never in my life [did I think we'd be down here]. This is crazy."
As part of the Terrible Towel Twirl, Katie and Anthony joined a group of Steelers Nation Unite members to help get everyone fired up at kickoff – an event that was led by Pittsburgh-native and music artist Mac Miller.
The day was also special for the Steelers Nation Unite home opener sweepstakes winner, Michael Draman, as he scored pregame field passes and a pair of club seats for the AFC North showdown, in addition to a special weekend in Pittsburgh.
Before leaving the stadium, a group of Steelers Nation Unite members were selected to go down on the playing field and get photos following the win. This opportunity was afforded to them by Checking In at the stadium and gave the group yet another reason to smile as they headed home.
All in all, it was a day that was highlighted by a Steelers victory over an AFC North rival, with a lot of special moments both on and off the field for fans and Steelers Nation Unite members.
To learn more about Steelers Nation Unite or to sign up for free, visit SteelersNationUnite.com now.
