In preparation for the highly anticipated Sunday night matchup between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New York Jets, team spokesman Burt Lauten dropped a bombshell announcement on Saturday afternoon. Lauten revealed that none other than President Donald Trump will be in attendance at the game as the “guest of an individual suite holder.” The Steelers organization, in collaboration with the Secret Service and local authorities, is taking all necessary precautions to ensure the safety and security of all fans in attendance.
While Lauten assured that the fan experience will remain unchanged for this game, he did urge fans to arrive early to both the parking lots and the gates in light of the special guest’s presence. Interestingly, the statement was issued by Lauten himself, rather than team president Art Rooney II, who has ties to the Obama administration through his father’s ambassadorship to Ireland.
It is speculated that the individual suite holder mentioned in the statement could be none other than Jets owner Woody Johnson, who served as the ambassador to the UK under President Trump. Johnson reportedly hopes to retain his position if Trump secures a second term in office. With Pennsylvania being a pivotal swing state in the upcoming election, the political implications of this high-profile visit are not lost on anyone.
Despite his close ties to some NFL team owners, President Trump has not always been on the best terms with the league as a whole. His public criticism of the new kickoff rules, specifically the revised kickoff formation, has raised eyebrows within the football community. Trump expressed his disdain for the changes on a recent podcast, labeling them as “terrible” without providing much explanation.
Regardless of his opinions on the rule changes, President Trump will have the opportunity to witness the new kickoff format firsthand on Sunday night at Heinz Field, where the Steelers will be facing off against the Jets. This unexpected turn of events adds an extra layer of intrigue to an already highly anticipated game.
