GLENDALE, Az. (PTTP) – With the Big Game on Sunday, all eyes around the world will be glued to the Philadelphia Eagles against the Kansas City Chiefs, but that does not mean there are no connections to Pittsburgh.
Former Steelers WR JuJu Smith-Schuster will suit up for the Chiefs in his first big game appearance. Smith-Schuster played for the Steelers from 2017 to 2021 after being drafted out of USC in the 2017 NFL Draft. He grew up a Steelers fan, although coming from Long Beach, California.
“Playing in Pittsburgh for five years, I love Pittsburgh and the Steelers,” Smith-Schuster said. “But making the decision to come to KC and play, it’s crazy. This [the big game] is real, I can’t believe it.”
Former Pitt cornerback Avonte Maddox plays for the Eagles, while Woodland Hills alum Miles Sanders and Shady Side Academy alum Skyy Moore will suit up for the Eagles and Chiefs, respectively.
“I grew up in Pittsburgh,” Sanders said. “And you know, I’m sorry Eagles fans, but I was a Steelers fan. I am used to all of this winning and playing in the championship games. I remember the two Super Bowls they won when I was young. You see that and you want to accomplish the same thing.”
Maddox is from Detroit, Michigan, and his time with the Panthers helped him become the NFL player he is today. A starter for the Eagles, Maddox turned a fourth-round draft pick selection in the 2018 NFL Draft into a lengthy NFL career.
Moore’s connection is more personal. He played with Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin’s son, Dino, at Shady Side Academy. He has plenty of love for Pittsurgh although not landing them in the draft.
“Those are my guys,” Moore said about the Tomlins. “I grew up in high school together with Dino and I grew up a Steelers fan. [We] were a quarterback-wide receiver duo. I’m not where I am now without that experience.”
The Big Game is scheduled to kick off at 6:30 P.M. EST on Sunday on FOX. No matter how it ends, there will be Pittsburgh winners.
