Some key figures for the Pittsburgh Steelers are impressed with a player who competes for another Steel City franchise. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin and player T.J Watt love Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes.
“I’m a big fan,” Tomlin said, per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “I’m not only a big fan of the product that he’s putting out, but from what I hear, I’m a big fan of his approach. He’s a young guy with a very mature approach. The consistency of his performance is probably the biggest indication of that.”
Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt shares his coach's sentiment about the rookie hurler.
“Big dude, man,” Watt said. “Cool guy. He’s electric for this whole city, for the team. I’m just excited for his future and the Pirates’ future, as well.”
Skenes has brought a lot of excitement to the Pirates franchise this season. The team looked to make a run to the postseason, but a dismal August caused the team to free-fall in the National League Central standings. Heading into Sunday's games, the Pirates hold a 70-77 record. It seems that the Bucs will have at least a few fans cheering them on the rest of the year, in Tomlin and Watt.
Steelers looking for success and a trip to the postseason in 2024
Another Pittsburgh franchise hoping to make the playoffs this year is the Steelers. Pittsburgh started off the campaign on the right foot, with a win over the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1. The Steelers won the game despite having to start their backup quarterback, Justin Fields.
Watt had a great game against Atlanta. He finished the contest with a sack, as well as four tackles. Two of those were solo stops. He also recovered a fumble for the team.
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The Steelers have long been the flagship professional sports franchise in the Steel City. The franchise has six Super Bowl championships, and fans want to see the team make the final nearly every year. The Steelers haven't won the NFL championship since the 2008 season, which was Tomlin's second with the franchise. A few years later, Tomlin led the team to the final again but lost to the Green Bay Packers.
The Pirates have not had nearly as much success in recent years. While the franchise does have five World Series championships, the team hasn't won one since 1979. The Pirates last made the NLCS in 1992, but have had just a few playoff appearances since that season. Pirates fans desperate for success hope that Skenes can lead the team moving forward in future years.
The Steelers next face the Denver Broncos on Sunday.
