The Pittsburgh Steelers are 8-3 and coming off a difficult loss to the Cleveland Browns in Week 12 on Thursday Night Football. In other words, it’s an easy time to not be thankful for the good ol’ black-and-gold. But what I’m about to write is about why I’m thankful for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Not just this season, but for everything.

So, for the next few minutes, or however long it takes you to read this article, put aside the most recent contest and focus on the message at hand. Some of these reasons for being thankful are based on the 2024 roster, while others are more structured around the organization and this history which resides with the team.

For those who prefer the auditory experience over the written word, check out my Let’s Ride podcast in the player below where I dive into more detail on these reasons why I’m thankful for the Steelers.

They are always competitive

When some Steelers fans hear about Mike Tomlin’s non-losing season streak, it infuriates them. Why? Because he hasn’t been a Super Bowl since 2010 and hasn’t won a playoff game since 2016. I get all that, but I can’t help but be thankful the team is in the hunt every year. Can you imagine being a fan of a team like the Carolina Panthers? Or maybe the Jacksonville Jaguars? I know it could be better, especially by our standards, but I’d rather see a team in the mix than looking at NFL Mock Drafts in November any day of the week.

The rich history and tradition

Whether you’re talking about the Ernie Stautner era, the 1970s dynasty, the 1990 Blitzburgh era, the early 2000s success or even the Killer B era, the Steelers history is steeped with tradition. Not many organizations have seen the success the Steelers have experienced throughout their existence, dating back to 1933, and for that, I’m thankful. All those eras before have laid the foundation for the current team to build their proverbial house. Will that house eventually have a trophy in the trophy case? Let’s hope so…

Stout Defense

When people think of the Steelers they think of a lot, but defense almost always is near the top of people’s lists. Even if they aren’t fans of the team, if you ask people to say the first thing that comes to their minds when they think of the Steelers the answer is usually “defense”. This started with the Steel Curtain unit in the 1970s and continued through the Troy Polamalu and company era. To this day the Steelers defense is one of the best in the league, and I love the fact the team always brings it on the defensive side of the ball. The game has changed a lot since the 1970s, but the Steelers being known for defense hasn’t changed at all.

Improving Offense

Some might suggest the 2024 Steelers offense has underperformed, but those who say that might have short-term memory loss regarding the last two seasons for Steelers offense. You know, the ones where the offense averaged 17 and 18 points per game? And let’s not forget how in 2023 with Mason Rudolph at the helm they scored 34, 30, and 17 points in the final three games to help buoy that average. This season the Steelers are averaging 22.9 points per game, but I’ve enjoyed watching the Steelers play offense again. There has been scoring, chunk plays, and moments of excitement. I know the offense could be much better than what we’ve seen recently, but I’m thankful for an offense which doesn’t have me wishing the team would just punt on first down every series to put us out of our misery faster.

Special, Special Teams

Remember when Danny Smith was the most hated coach in Pittsburgh? You don’t?! I do. This season the Steelers special teams has been just that, special. Blocked punts, blocked field goals, blocked extra points, a punt return for a touchdown. But it goes beyond that. Chris Boswell has been outstanding this season, and Corliss Waitman has filled in admirably for injured Cameron Johnston. I’m thankful for this special teams unit.

It’s a Family Tradition

In my family Sundays were pretty typical. Church, then Steelers football. As a really young kid I was more worried about playing than watching other people play a game, but as I got more in tune with the game is when I get more interested in the Steelers. Our dad and his friends would have raucous playoff parties which had us fetching beers for the guys and high-fiving after huge plays were made. Nothing was better than after a huge sack on a key third down to turn the tide in the Steelers favor. It is what got me hooked, and I now try to pass that passion down to my kids and the next generation of fans…

The Next Generation of Fans

Speaking of the next generation of fans, I often have to remind myself how many of our readers/listeners are younger fans. Fans who might not even remember the early stages of the Ben Roethlisberger era. Fans who only know Mike Tomlin as the head coach of the team. I’m thankful for this generation’s dedication to the team as we pass the torch from one generation to another…it’s a really important part of the process.

An 8-3 Record

After 12 weeks, and 11 games, the Steelers are 8-3 this season. For that, I’m thankful. Could they be better? Absolutely, the losses to the Colts, Cowboys and Browns could very well haunt this team, but the 8-3 record is about as good as I could have expected heading into the 2024 season. It may sound crazy, but it could be worse.

My Role Covering the Team

When I started writing about the Steelers way back in 2013, I got paid nothing to do so. When I eventually found my way to BTSC in 2014, I got paid nothing. I slowly turned my passion into a side hustle when I took over as the editor of BTSC, and now with the creation of FFSN I can now say this is part of my full-time job. I don’t take this responsibility lightly, and I thoroughly enjoy the work. The one thing I can proudly say is we are fans of the team. We aren’t working for an outlet or paper who has a stance which we have to follow. There is no company line we have to toe. We all have different opinions, and that’s what makes this space great, but we all want the team to win. We don’t have to fake neutrality, we still bleed black-and-gold.

Six Super Bowls…and Counting!

Last, but certainly not least, I’m thankful for the Steelers six Super Bowl titles, and the ones which are to come. I firmly believe I will see another Super Bowl victory in my lifetime, and I can’t wait to watch it with my kids the way I got to watch those with my family. The six Super Bowls might have been from years ago, but it’s still something to be both proud and thankful of as fans of the black-and-gold.

That’s why I’m thankful for the Pittsburgh Steelers this Thanksgiving, but I’m also thankful for everyone who is a part of the Steel Curtain Network in any way. Those who contribute content and those who consume that content in any way. I can’t thank you all enough! I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving, and HERE WE GO STEELERS!