The Pittsburgh Steelers are encouraging fans to arrive early to enjoy the many activities surrounding Monday night's game at Heinz Field against the Kansas City Chiefs. Kickoff is set for 8:30 p.m. and all gates will open at 6:30 p.m.
Monday night's matchup will mark the Steelers "Salute to Service" game in which a number of events and activities will take place in honoring Veterans Day and the military. The following is a list of the many events for Monday night in honor of Veterans Day:
- The USAA will perform a stadium-wide 'Card Stunt' in which all fans will take part in at the beginning of the National Anthem. Fans will be prompted to hold up the cards on cue.
- There will be a military flyover immediately following the National Anthem. It is being conducted in honor of Lt. Col. Christopher "Otis" Raible, an Irwin native who was killed in Afghanistan in September of this year.
- Zambelli Fireworks will be on display prior to kickoff and following the military flyover.
- On-field presentation honoring veterans including a Pearl Harbor survivor, a European World War II veteran and a Tuskegee Airman, Korean War veteran, Vietnam War veteran, Desert Storm/Desert Shield War veteran, Iraq War veteran and Afghanistan War veteran.
- The honored veterans will stand on the Steelers sidelines during the National Anthem.
- Camouflage banners will be visible throughout Heinz Field.
- A commemorative coin will be used for the coin toss in honor of Veterans Day.
- Boy scouts will be holding a field flag during the National Anthem, the USAA Card Stunt and the Flyover.
- The Military Funeral Honor Guard of the VFW Post 1810 in Brentwood will serve as Monday's Color Guard.
The Steelers 1st-IN-GOAL promotion, sponsored by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, will allow fans who enter Heinz Field early on game days the opportunity to win exclusive prizes from the team. The first 25,000 fans who enter the stadium will be given scratch-off cards at all gates as well as suite and club entrances. Fans will have the opportunity to win pre-game field passes and the chance to participate in the pre-game Terrible Towel Twirl on the Steelers' sideline just prior to kickoff, Steelers gift cards, Terrible Towels, overnight stays at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort and Spa, Stage AE concert tickets, Nike replica jersey, one month subscription to PG site, Redbox rental from Giant Eagle, Prometheus DVD, Official 59Fifty football cap from New Era, Sport Clips haircuts, fountain drinks from Pepsi and GetGo, Augustine's pizzas, Silverstar Meats hot dogs, McCafe Frappes and Sausage McMuffins from McDonald's, Grilled Stickies from Eat'n Park, appetizers from Andora restaurant and Sabra products.
Fans are encouraged to stop by Stage AE prior to entering the stadium to participate in the Official Tailgate Zone of the Pittsburgh Steelers as many great prizes will be given away. Admission is free and the doors will open at 4 p.m. There will be a pig roast hosted by WDVE Morning Show personality Bill Crawford, and Radio Tokyo will perform prior to kickoff outside of Stage AE.
At Monday's game, there will be a Salvation Army Red Kettles set up at Heinz Field to donate and help in the disaster relief from Hurricane Sandy. A total of 29 Kettles will be on site.
The Steelers are participating all season in the "Let's Tackle Recycling" campaign. At every Steelers home game, the Sports & Exhibition Authority (SEA) and its partners are collecting aluminum cans, glass containers and plastic bottles and cups at tailgating parties in the parking lots outside of Heinz Field. The "Let's Tackle Recycling" campaign is sponsored by the SEA in partnership with Heinz Field, Alco Parking, Greenstar Recycling, Three Rivers Power Sweep and the PRC.
The following are additional highlights for fans for Monday's game:
- McKayla Maroney, who is an Olympic Gold medalist and part of the 'US Fab 5', will lead this week's Terrible Towel Twirl along withAndre L. Brown, who was the winner of this week's "My Pittsburgh Steelers" fan contest, the Post-Gazette's Fan of the Game, and 1st-IN-GOAL pre-game field pass winners.
- WDVEand theSteelers Radio Networkwill be live at Stage AE for their pre-game shows.
- No Bad JuJu will perform in the FedEx Great Hall prior to kickoff and The Gingerbeards will perform on the Main Concourse.
- Eden's Edge, an up-and-coming country group, will perform on the field during pregame and will sing the National Anthem. Pittsburgh's own,Rusted Root, will perform on the field at halftime.
