Pregame Blog: Steelers vs. Packers

Nov 12, 2023 at 11:00 AM

Teresa Varley

Steelers.com

Back in Block: The Steelers will wear their throwback jerseys today when they host the Green Bay Packers at Acrisure Stadium.

The jerseys feature block letters and numbers on a traditional looking jersey, a nod to the teams of the 1970s.

This will be the fourth time the team has worn this particular throwback jersey, previously doing so in 2018, 2019 and 2022.

In 2018, the Steelers defeated the Cleveland Browns, 33-18, while wearing the jersey. They defeated the Los Angeles Rams, 17-12, while wearing the jersey in 2019.

"I think it's really cool," said linebacker T.J. Watt. "It means a lot that we can wear the jerseys they wore and being a part of that tradition is awesome.

"Those guys still take a lot of pride in what they did, and we take a lot of pride in being able to carry on that legacy and play for the Steelers. That is what makes this organization so special, the true tradition."

Last year the Steelers defeated the Las Vegas Raiders, 13-10, on Christmas Eve while wearing the jerseys and celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Immaculate Reception and honoring late Hall of Famer Franco Harris, who passed away just days before the game.

It was an exciting come-from-behind win, with the Steelers scoring 10 points in the fourth quarter, including a 14-yard touchdown pass from Kenny Pickett to George Pickens with just 46 seconds remaining in the game.

"I think it's awesome," said Pickett. "The Steelers have such a rich history, and we want to continue that tradition. You think back on all of the great players who wore the jersey before you, especially Franco Harris. Going back to last year and how special that game was and getting that win for him. It will be another special game on Sunday."

Watt and defensive tackle Cameron Heyward have worn the jersey multiple times and they just want to do it proud.

"I like the little differences, the little nuances, but it's similar to our standard jersey because that is the tradition we hold," said Heyward. "You see all of the throwbacks that are out there, and they are cool colors and everything, but we have a rich tradition behind it knowing we won so many Super Bowls here. It's special to wear a jersey that resembles those.

"This game wouldn't be what it is today without them. They paved the way for us. We're just running with it. We are trying to leave the legacy the way they did."

Alumni Weekend group pic 📸 pic.twitter.com/6dmK2hpIRP
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) November 12, 2023

Alumni Weekend: The Steelers will cap off their Alumni Weekend today when the group of legends are introduced to the crowd at halftime, giving the Acrisure Stadium crowd an opportunity to welcome home family.

"It is very special," said former quarterback Kordell Stewart. "It's pretty cool that you can come in for a weekend and they go out of their way to accommodate us, to let us go to the practice facility, to see the walk-through practice, to do the tour of the facility with the kids and see the game.

"And then to be announced at halftime. That's pretty cool. It's very special."

For many of the players, getting that stadium welcome isn't something they are as accustomed to anymore and it goes a long way.

Being introduced to the crowd is something Hartings is looking forward to, something that wasn't his style until it hit him how special Steelers Nation is.

"It's very exciting to go out on the field and hear the crowd," said former center Jeff Hartings. "To be honest, the attention NFL football players get was a little overwhelming for me when I played. I just wanted to play football. Then I came to the Steelers, and it's really overwhelming. Your identity is as a football player. It wasn't until the parade after Super Bowl XL when I really started to connect with Steelers Nation and understand they just love the Steelers.

"To be able to go out there and hear that cheer again, there is a special connection between Steelers Nation and the players. I hope all of the players now realize Steelers Nation loves them and appreciates what they are doing now and what we did 20 years ago."

As a part of the Steelers Alumni Weekend, Legends will be on hand and take part in multiple activities today.

The Terrible Towel Twirl will be led by Steelers Hall of Famer and Super Bowl Champion Alan Faneca.

The group of alumni gathered for a dinner on Saturday night at Acrisure Stadium and will be honored during halftime of the game.

'It's a highlight of the year. So proud to be a part of this organization. I feel so blessed. The Rooney family is amazing. I am speechless getting to take part in this. Being able to see these guys around these events is special.' - Jeff Hartings

📝: https://t.co/hoh3kswkqW pic.twitter.com/8xEdDvhwI4
— Teresa Varley (@Teresa_Varley) November 12, 2023

Minkah Magic: Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick is taking part in a community outreach program in conjunction with the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, donating tickets to Steelers home games to the Pittsburgh Police for them to take youth in city neighborhoods to games, as well as enjoy a pregame tailgate party inside of Stage AE. The tickets are distributed to different police zones each week, allowing a wide range of kids the opportunity to not only see a game, but spend quality time interacting with the police and getting to know the men and women who are there to protect them.

Enter early: Acrisure Stadium Management and the Pittsburgh Steelers are reminding fans to enter the stadium early to ensure they will not miss kickoff.

Fireworks, which will be presented by Zambelli Fireworks, will be set off an hour prior to kickoff and 30 minutes prior to kickoff to serve as reminders for fans to enter Acrisure Stadium so they will not miss all of the pregame activities, including Steelers introductions and kickoff.

Fans are also being reminded of the mobile ticketing process in place at Acrisure Stadium. Prior to coming to Acrisure Stadium, fans should:

• Save their mobile tickets to the digital wallet on their smartphone.

• Make sure their phones are fully charged.

Honoring America: The National Anthem will be sung by The Outlaws, an American Rock Band.

Following the Anthem, there will be a flyover by the 7th Fighter Training Squadron, the 'Screamin' Demons,' out of Langley Air Force Base, Virginia.

Giving back: The community organization of the game is the Boys & Girls Club of Western Pennsylvania. Since 1888, Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Pennsylvania has served youth throughout Western Pennsylvania. Consisting of 12 Clubhouse locations and more than a dozen partner sites in Allegheny and Somerset Counties, two stand-alone workforce development locations and three Great Futures Preschool sites, BGCWPA serves thousands of youth annually.

BGCWPA, one of the largest and most comprehensive providers of Before & After School as well as summer day camp programming in the region, is a licensed childcare provider, and offers scholarships to families in need. Programming includes academic literacy, STEM enrichment, sports and recreational activities and mentoring. Additionally, BGCWPA serves young adults ages 18-24 through workforce development programming.

Hearing from Legends: A live Legends Q & A will take place at the FedEx Great Hall Stage at 11:30 a.m. Arthur Moats will host it, with his guest Gerry Mullins.

Honoring a hero: The U.S. Steel Salute to Heroes recipient is Colonel Joe Marm Jr. Marm is a Medal of Honor Recipient and the only surviving Medal of Honor Recipient from the state of Pennsylvania. He hails from Washington, PA and is a life-long Steelers fan.

IMPROVED TECHNOLOGY

--> Evolv security screening technology has been added to gates establishing an arrival process for guests that is notably swifter and exceptionally safeguarded. Guests can simply walk through these systems unimpeded, without having to remove personal items (e.g., keys, cell phones, coats or bags), all the while maintaining the highest degree of weapons detection accuracy.
--> As part of an updated agreement with Ticketmaster, pedestal scanners have been installed at all entrances, club areas, and suites. This advancement aims to facilitate a rapid and touchless ticket scanning process, ensuring a faster and more convenient entry experience.
--> Checkout registers have been equipped with a new point of sale system to better cater to guests, optimizing transactions to enable quicker checkouts and reducing wait times at our concession stands.

NEW FEATURES & ENTERTAINMENT

--> Gameday Entertainment: Steelers Nation can expect a revitalized pregame with new features and fan traditions that will get them excited for the game. Fans are encouraged to arrive at their seats 20 minutes before kickoff to not miss a moment. Throughout the game, fans will notice modernmusic and video entertainment, along with interactive games featuring a helmet shuttle, fan filters, and more.
--> First Down Line & Down and Distance: The team is bringing some of the standard Network TV broadcast game elements to the stadium. Now fans will be able to follow the flow of the game on the scoreboard more easily through a yellow first down line and easy-toread Down & Distance graphics.
--> Next Gen Stats: A new statistical feature that provides fans with more detailed game and player statistics will be on display each game.
--> Commercial Clock: This new feature allows fans to understand how much time is left in Network TV timeouts, a countdown to when live game action will return to the field.

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Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Diontae Johnson (18) during a regular season game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Green Bay Packers, Sunday, Nov. 12, 2023 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers)