Before the Steelers held a controlled scrimmage in the rain Friday night at Heinz Field, Mike Tomlin addressed the media in attendance -- and those watching from home -- with a message of unity during a time of crisis.
The team, lined up behind him, joined hands and arms as Tomlin spoke for nearly three minutes, then led the team in a silent prayer at midfield.
"This evening, as we go about our normal business, we stand united as an organization, a football team, as football men. From different ethnicities, social-economic backgrounds and even countries of origin," Tomlin said. "We stand united by our talent and our love for the game of football. That love and that talent have taught us great love and understanding.
"We've learned a lot of lessons in 2020, be it from the pandemic or the social unrest. The big perspective that it has taught us is that regardless of how big and important this game is for us, it's small when compared to other things. But it's also taught us that we're privileged to have a platform. We're committed to taking action and being part of the solution to face social injustice."
The message was in response to civil unrest that is taking place across the nation following another incident involving police shooting a Black man during an arrest in Wisconsin.
Several NFL teams chose to not practice this week, though the Steelers were not among them. The NBA also delayed some of its playoff games, as did NHL. Some Major League Baseball teams also postponed regular season games.
To continue reading, log into your account:
