Superstitions go hand in hand with sports, and the Pittsburgh Steelers are no exception. Perhaps the biggest example is the curse of the Terrible Towel. It may just seem like a prop that fans wave at games, but the Terrible Towel has seemed to have magic in it over the years. Opposing teams that beat the Steelers and disrespect the towel often find themselves struck with bad luck immediately after. However, Indianapolis Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin doesn’t seem to care about that at all.
“Hopefully we get to steal a couple Terrible Towels,” Franklin said recently via WTHR on YouTube. “I might try to snatch one myself. We’ll see.”
That’s a bold declaration from Franklin. Even if you don’t believe in superstitions, that seems like bulletin-board material for the Steelers. They take pride in their team, and that includes the towel. Disrespecting the Terrible Towel is like disrespecting the players. Franklin certainly doesn’t lack any confidence, but it might be a little early to talk like that.
Curses don’t really exist, but there are examples of teams suffering some misfortune after using the Terrible Towel to mock the Steelers. The Jacksonville Jaguars are the most recent example. They beat the Steelers last year and proceeded to disrespect the towel. At the time, they were 6-2. After that game, they went 3-6, totally collapsing. They haven’t won a game yet this year either, looking broken.
There are other examples too. The Cincinnati Bengals have been on the receiving end of the curse multiple times, with wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh really screwing around and finding out. The Colts could be the next victims if they mess with the towel.
The Colts did beat the Steelers last year, so maybe that’s why Franklin seems so confident. However, this is a different Steelers team. Not only do they have a new offensive coordinator and overhauled quarterback room, but their defense has been much improved too. That unit has been one of the NFL’s best through three weeks, and it’s probably eager to prove itself again against the Colts.
Franklin’s comments also had former Colts punter Pat McAfee worried too. McAfee, a Pittsburgh-native, talked about Franklin wanting to steal a Terrible Towel on his show on ESPN on Friday, and he made it clear that the Terrible Towel is not to be messed with. As someone from the area, he knows all about the magic in that towel. It’s a joke now, but McAfee believes the bear should not be poked.
The Steelers will likely do their best to defend the Terrible Towel, but if they lose, keep an eye on Franklin to see what he does. The Colts are sitting at 1-2, and if they invoke the curse this early in the season, there’s no telling what could happen to them. Hopefully it never gets to that point. If the Steelers beat them, then they should have bigger things to focus on than a towel.
