On Sunday night, the Steelers will host the Jets. On Saturday afternoon, team spokesman Burt Lauten announced that a current, and possibly future, president will attend the game.
Lauten said Donald Trump will be the “guest of an individual suite holder,” and that the team is “working with the Secret Service and local authorities to ensure the safety and security of all our fans.”
While Lauten’s statement says the Steelers “will work to make the fan experience the same as it always is” for every home game, he also encourages fans to arrive early to both the parking lots and the gates.
It’s likely no accident that the statement came from Lauten and not the team, or for team president Art Rooney II. His father, Dan, was the ambassador to Ireland under the Barack Obama administration. Jets owner Woody Johnson (who might be the individual suite holder to whom the statement refers) was the ambassador to the UK under Trump — and Johnson (we’re told) hopes to do it again, if Trump wins the upcoming election.
With Pennsylvania being a key swing state in next month’s vote, the move is politically smart. But let’s not forget that Trump, despite being supported by Johnson and other owners, has been an antagonist, at times, of the NFL and Commissioner Roger Goodell.
Although the feud had died down, Trump has attacked the league’s new approach to the kickoff. Recently, he said on the Bussin’ With The Boys podcast of the revised kickoff formation, “I think it’s terrible.”
Apparently, he didn’t elaborate on his reasoning. To date, it has resulted in more returns than the prior formulation of the rule.
Either way, he’ll get a chance to see the new kickoff in person on Sunday night, when the Steelers host the Jets.
