Championship Sunday has arrived and, as has been the case since 2016, our beloved Pittsburgh Steelers aren’t playing.
So who, if anyone should Steelers fans root for? Good question. Today we take a look at the teams and develop a little cheat sheet.
Patrick Queen tries in vain to close in on Jalen Hurts. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review
The Washington Commanders
This is a sentimental favorite of many. This is a franchise that’s been in NFL no man’s land since Daniel Snyder took control. Sure, his early attempts to buy a Lombardi generated a lot of sound and fury. But it soon became clear that Snyder was dead set on running the once-proud franchise like a Fantasy Football team. That wasn’t the worst part. Snyder was a horrible person. Stories of him suing season ticket holder who’d hit hard times were only the tip of the iceberg.
In steps former Steelers minority owner Josh Harris, Dan Quinn and Jayden Daniels arrive and viola: Washington is in the NFC Championship.
Yes, a lot of Commanders fans are living what a lot of Generation X Steelers fans would have lived had Mark Stock caught the ball and/or Chuck Lanza hadn’t bobbled the snap to Bubby Brister in the AFC Divisional Playoff loss to Denver that ended the 1989 Steelers Cinderella run.
- Yes, the Commanders are a temping target for our rooting interests
But Steelers fans should resist that temptation. If you don’t agree that the two franchises are “should be rivals,” I’ll concede this is may just be one of the authors quirks.
Cam Heyward sacks Jaden Daniels. Photo Credit: AP, Chaz Palla, via Tribune-Review
So here’s another reason: Jaden Daniels is a stud. He’s going to add to Washington’s Lombardi count during his career – that’s almost a scientific certainty.
Washington already has 3 Lombardis – why give them a shot at making a head start at trying the Steelers total?
The Kansas City Chiefs
Is there any reason to root for this team? When the Chiefs played the Buccaneers for the title a social media meme circulated with Patrick Mahomes photo below Grogu’s with Tom Brady’s below Yoda’s.
Justin Reid intercepts Russell Wilson. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review
- The implication is clear, and has been validated since then: Mahomes is the new Brady
He is. The Chiefs have been in the conference championship every season since 2018. They’ve been to four Super Bowls, winning three. They’re going for a threepeat. Fair enough. But Mahomes is also getting Brady-like pampering from the officials.
And he’s added 3 Lombardi’s to the Chiefs existing count. He’s going to get more at some point. No sense in letting him stack them now.
The Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are another sentimental favorite, with a long-suffering fan base enjoying a renaissance. And, if you dig a little deeper, the people of Buffalo share a lot more in common with the people of Western Pennsylvania.
It is a Frostbelt City that got hit hard in the 70’s and 80’s. Arguably Pittsburgh has found its way a little better since then, but they’re kindred spirits.
In football terms, they’ve done well in the regular season, only to get pushed around by the Chiefs, and to a lesser extent, the Ravens in the playoffs.
In other words, they seem like the perfect kind of team to root for to knock off the Chiefs.
The Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles are in a lot of ways the type of team the Steelers aspire to be. Rolling your eyes a little bit?
- OK. I get it. There isn’t a lot of Keystone State fidelity between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia.
But how many of you are able to watch Saquon Barkley highlights and not say to yourself, “Man, THAT’S the kind of rushing attack that the Steeles should have (again.)” I rest my case.
And really, by bringing in both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, the Steelers were trying to see if they could make it work with a Jalen Hurts like quarterback. So by all means, let’s support our brethren at the other end of the Turnpike today. (Disclaimer: If Kenny Pickett comes into this game, by all means start rooting for Washington.)
Pecking Order for Championship Sunday
So in my view here is the pecking order Steelers fans should follow for Championship Sunday and the ensuing Super Bowl.
4. Washington Commanders
3. Kansas City Chiefs
2. Buffalo Bills
1. Philadelphia Eagles
Not everyone will agree on this. That’s fine. Likewise, if fans want to quibble and revert the order of the Commanders and Chiefs, not only wouldn’t argue, I’d probably do the same if both end up in the Super Bowl.
Time may also prove some of the my underlying assumptions wrong. So be it. IF I am wrong about this it won’t be either the first or last time that’s true.
