Sports in general, but especially the NFL wouldn't exist without fans.
The sun in the solar system that is professional football, it all starts and ends with the patrons.
But sometimes fans take the fanatic part of things way too far. Steelers special team ace and team captain Miles Killebrew is the latest player to experience that:
A look at the blocked punt by #Steelers special team Ace and team captain Miles Killebrew pic.twitter.com/oQX5n3GewP
— Rob G (@NFL_Rob) December 8, 2023
The terrific punt block from Killebrew may have all been for not following Pittsburgh's inability to generate multiple scoring drives in the fourth, but it meant a lot to Killebrew, who was noticeably emotional in the locker room after the Patriots game:
Steelers special teams captain Miles Killebrew got a little emotional when talking about how he got death threats following last week's game in which he had 3 penalties.
— Mark Kaboly (@MarkKaboly) December 8, 2023
Whoever felt the need to do that (surely under a fake name) is scum of the Earth.
“I wish we could’ve done a little more. But hey, glory to God, I was able to get a block,” Killebrew told reporters after the game. “I was just telling James, I was fielding a bunch of hate mail and death threats three days ago, so it was nice to kind of flip the script a little bit. Obviously, I want to encourage my guys. Keep them together. We wanna do the most we can to win the game as far as special teams goes, and I think we left a little bit out there. A little meat on the bone, as coach likes to say. We’re gonna watch the film, figure out ways we can help us win the game.”
Killebrew was not only named a team captain this season for his play on the field, (which has allocated four blocked punts in his three seasons in Pittsburgh. (An insane stat)) but for his leadership qualities on and off the gridiron.
So for someone to think that because of a few penalties, they have any right to threaten a player, much less one of the most important players on the team is repulsive and I echo Mark Kaboly's sentiments.
You can be upset after two bad losses, but getting personal, especially to that level is never ok.
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