To put it simply, professional sports in Pittsburgh have had a rough stretch.
Last year, the Pirates, Steelers and Penguins had substandard performances without upgrading any of their rosters. The Pirates are a lost cause, but for the Steelers and Penguins, there is an opportunity to either turn things around or maintain mediocrity.
Pirates
The Pirates have put on their usual lackluster performance throughout the summer. They currently stand at 47-64 and are last in the National League Central.
“Sell the team,” chants have persisted throughout PNC Park this season — a dig at Pirates owner Bob Nutting.
The chants occur when the team is performing poorly and have turned into a cultural phenomenon of their own. Pirates fans hired a plane to fly over PNC Park displaying the message, “Sell the team, Bob,” along with the URL “ourteamnothis.com.” The organization states on its website, “We demand winning baseball return to Pittsburgh!”
The regular season will continue throughout September, and the Pirates currently have a 0% chance of making the playoffs, according to FanGraphs.
Steelers
The Steelers will yet again have another quarterback under center to start the new season. Aaron Rodgers will step in as quarterback after signing a one-year contract earlier this summer. The decision to sign with Rodgers has made people believe signing the future Hall of Fame quarterback could make Pittsburgh a Super Bowl contender.
Head coach Mike Tomlin said in a live interview on the Pat McAfee Show, “To have a guy like that man … in your huddle, in your locker room, a part of your group … it certainly gives us all great confidence.”
But a majority of fans have expressed worry that a 41-year-old Rodgers will not put up a strong performance. Steelers fans have also expressed shock over the decision to trade wide receiver George Pickens to the Cowboys.
The regular season for the Steelers begins on Sept. 7 against Rodgers’ former team, the New York Jets.
Penguins
The Penguins’ preseason begins on Sept. 22 in Montreal. This comes after a disappointing 2024 season, where the team missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the third consecutive season and finished 31-35-12.
Penguins fans point to goaltender Tristan Jarry’s blasé performance last season as a reason for missing the playoffs. Jarry was so bad he was sent to the AHL after clearing waivers in January.
But fans can continue to put their confidence in Sidney Crosby, who — although 37 years old — has continued to put forward a strong performance. He led the Penguins with 30 goals and 56 assists. Crosby, combined with linchpins Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and Bryan Rust, could provide the opportunity for the Penguins to enter the playoffs in 2026, although it is still unlikely.
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