You would be hard pressed to find a fan base that loves its players as much as Steelers fans do, especially when they win Super Bowls. Or at least, that’s what former Pittsburgh cornerback Bryant McFadden says.
On Doak Talk, a Florida State football podcast hosted by C.J. Wilson, McFadden explained what it means to be a Steeler.
“Being a Steeler is huge,” said McFadden. “But being a Steeler that actually won for that organization it’s a whole other level… During my rookie year I had TV show and a radio show. I wasn’t even a starter… I didn’t have to drive my own car. I had dealers giving me cars to drive.”
McFadden goes on and on about the perks of being Steeler and how the fans and city embrace their own. However, he does warn that once you leave, things change quickly.
“I got a speeding ticket the second to my last year… I’m in my truck I get pulled over, they gave me the speeding ticket,” McFadden said. “Officer says, ‘Man, McFadden don’t worry about it go ahead and get home and enjoy the rest of your night.’ I finally got released about a year and a half later. Two months after I get released I get a ticket to my house… Lo and behold when I got released, they sent the ticket for me to pay.”
According to McFadden, he even had his phone bill completely covered when he was a Steeler by Sprint. But, as you might expect, once he signed with the Arizona Cardinals in 2009, his number was shut down.
McFadden goes on to say how much Pittsburgh rallies around the Steelers when they win a Super Bowl, and if anyone knows a thing or two about winning in Pittsburgh it’s him.
A second-round pick from Florida State, McFadden was on both of the Steelers’ Super Bowl-winning teams in the 2000s, playing a key role in an underappreciated cornerback room. He, along with the likes of Ike Taylor, William Gay and Deshea Townsend, allowed players like Troy Polamalu to have free range on the field because of their proficiency in one-on-one coverage.
McFadden was also on the team when the Steelers made Super XLV, losing to the Green Bay Packers. As he mentions in the podcast, he was then eventually released in 2012 due to a myriad of injuries.
Still, McFadden champions Pittsburgh calling it a “blue-collar town.” One thing is for sure, Steelers fans take care of their own.
