Becoming a Pittsburgh Steeler checks off a major bucket list for linebacker Cole Holcomb.
No, it’s not because of the history of the franchise, especially at the linebacker position, or the success the franchise has year after year.
Instead, his signing with the Steelers on a three-year, $18 million deal checks off a bucket list item of…playing with Mitch Trubisky?
Speaking on Zoom Thursday during his introduction to Steelers media, Holcomb spoke highly of his close friend and former college roommate and teammate, stating getting the chance to play with Trubisky in the NFL factored into his decision to sign with Pittsburgh.
“Mitch (Trubisky) lives 10 minutes from me, met a bunch of the guys through Mitch,” Holcomb said to reporters, according to 93.7 The Fan. “We talked about how cool it would be to be teammates in the NFL. It’s a bucket list thing to play on the same team.”
Well, that’s a bit unexpected.
A bucket list item to be on the same NFL team with Trubisky after spending a few years together in Chapel Hill is not something I had on my Bingo card. But Holcomb indeed signed with the Steelers and gets a personal introduction to the way things work in the Steel City thanks to his personal connection with Trubisky.
Last season Trubisky was the new guy in Pittsburgh after signing a two-year deal in free agency. He left the Buffalo Bills for a shot at the starting job with the Steelers. Things didn’t quite work out for Trubisky, who lost his job to rookie Kenny Pickett at halftime of Week 4 against the New York Jets. But he handled himself very well behind the scenes and even made some relief appearances and a spot start, leading the Steelers to a big win on the road against the Carolina Panthers in Week 15.
At North Carolina, Trubisky and Holcomb were key starters on the 2016 Tar Heels team, before Trubisky left for the NFL, going No. 2 overall to the Chicago Bears in the 2017 NFL Draft. Two years later, Holcomb finished his career at North Carolina and was selected in the fifth round by Washington. He spent four seasons there before joining the Steelers this offseason.
Hopefully the pair can help check off a few more important bucket list items together in the year ahead — maybe more — by winning a Super Bowl ring with the black and gold.
