By Jack Neese

On October 20, Owen Lingerfelt (‘26), Reid Campbell (‘26), and Michael Chambers (‘26), and I embarked on a journey to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to watch an incredible Sunday night football game: The Pittsburgh Steelers facing off against the New York Jets.

Prior to the game, the Steelers were 4-2, with losses to the Dallas Cowboys and the Indianapolis Colts, while the Jets were 2-4, with wins to only the Tennessee Titans and the New England Patriots. For the Steelers, this would be Russell Wilson’s (‘06) first game as a starter, with previous quarterback Justin Fields now listed as the back up. Fields admitted in an Oct. 18 press conference that he “has not been good enough,” and that it was in the team’s best interest to start Wilson, who signed with the Steelers during the offseason and had yet to play in a game. This decision by head coach Mike Tomlin sparked a debate among sports analysts and fans, as many were skeptical of 35-year old Wilson’s physical and mental state. As Steelers fans, Campbell, Lingerfelt, and I all pondered the decision to start Wilson, as Fields had led the Steelers to 4-2. For the first six weeks of the season, Wilson had been dealing with a strained calf, but going into Sunday night, ESPN reported that he said that he “felt good” and “wants to be able to move around” without many limitations.

In contrast, the Jets welcomed veteran wide receiver Devanate Adams from the Las Vegas Raiders as part of a mid-season trade. For the first time since 2021, Aaron Rodgers and Adams would be paired together on the same offense, which generated great excitement for Jets’ players and fans. 

Acrisure Stadium. Photo credit: Getty Images.

As we arrived into Pittsburg, I couldn’t help but notice the great amount of yellow and black surrounding the city and towns nearby. Chambers said that “this has to be one of the greatest fan bases in the NFL” after noticing all of the fans walking around the city. As we drove near the stadium, swarms of fans packed together at tailgates, and lines started to emerge near the front gates of Acrisure Stadium. Everyone was eager to get settled before the enduring Sunday night game. 

Prior to the 8:20 p.m. kickoff, we devoured several cheeseburgers from the local restaurant inside of the stadium, Burgatory. Campbell commented that “even though it was from inside of the stadium, it was one of the best burgers I had tried.” After the burgers, we got settled into our seats, which were right on the 50-yard line. We admired the players during warm ups, knowing that many of them could be headed to the Hall of Fame. That idea intrigued Lingerfelt as he was very “enthusiastic about getting to watch Russel Wilson” and other stars.

Photo courtesy of Jack Neese.

As the clock struck 8:20 p.m., the stadium became alive. Fans were jubilant, jumping and screaming as the players exited the tunnel, as well as after an elaborate fireworks display. Campbell commented on the environment by saying that “the atmosphere at Acrisure is unmatched.” Soon the players took the field and the kickoff was set: the Steelers would return the ball and have Wilson take the field for the first time as a Steeler. The weather was a subtle 50 degrees, with very little wind, but as the game progressed, it would drop into the 40’s, challenging the quarterbacks. 

Wilson’s first drive as a Steeler was nothing but perfection, as the Steelers marched up the field and converted for a field goal. So far, Wilson was playing to his full potential; while in comparison, Rodgers was failing to utilize his newest addition and the rest of the explosive Jets offense. With the help of the entire Steelers fan base, the Jets proceeded to have two back-to-back three and outs; the Steelers were looking promising on both sides of the ball.

One highlight from the game that truly captured the liveliness of the Steelers fan base was the moment when the iconic song “Renegade” by Styx was played. Everyone waving around their Terrible Towels and singing along generated a whole different level of enthusiasm. Lingerfelt said that, “I quite literally got goosebumps from it, it made me that hype.” In comparison to other stadiums I have visited, the Washington Commanders’ Northwest Stadium and Baltimore’s M&T Bank Stadium, Acrisure outranks them in every way: a more scenic location, larger crowds of fans, and a more intense environment.

As the game progressed into the second and third quarters, the Jets started to find a rhythm, primarily focusing on passing the ball to running back Breece Hall. This was primarily because of the Steelers dominating run defense, led by future Hall-of-Famer T.J. Watt. The Steelers passing defense was no easy target either, led by safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, as well as rookie cornerback Beanie Bishop, who ended the game with two interceptions. Utilizing both sides of the ball was crucial to the overall success of the Steelers on Sunday night.

As the game came to an end, Wilson proved he still had what it takes to be a starter for a possible Super Bowl contention team, throwing for 264 yards, with two touchdowns and zero interceptions. The Steelers would progress to 5-2, leading in the AFC North division. Now they are 10-3, with their next game against the Eagles on Sunday, Dec. 15. This game will be a crucial win for the Steelers if they hope to stay at number one in the AFC North. Although the remainder of their schedule looks challenging, the Steelers are looking to make it back to the Super Bowl one more time under Tomlin, with Wilson as the definite starter.