The Pittsburgh Steelers will be wearing their throwback jerseys for Sunday’s game against the Packers, and JJ Watt is clearly in favor of it.
In fact, the elder Watt and current CBS Sports NFL analyst feels that Pittsburgh should wear their throwback on a much more frequent basis.
The team announced on Tuesday that they will wear the uniforms for the first time since last year’s Christmas Eve win over Las Vegas when they host the Green Bay Packers this Sunday.
The Steelers are 3-0 in their throwback jerseys that pay homage to the team’s 1970s dynasty. The first win was in 2018 when the Steelers recorded a 33-18 win over the Browns. Pittsburgh then posted a 17-12 win over the Rams wearing the throwbacks in 2019.
Pittsburgh’s throwback jersey, which includes block numbers and does not have the team’s logo on the top left part of the jersey, was initially added to the team’s uniform rotation as part of the franchise’s celebration of the 40th anniversaries of the team’s final two Super Bowl wins during the ’70s. Pittsburgh defeated the Cowboys in Super Bowl XIII while also taking the mantle as the “Team of the Decade.” A year later, the Steelers outlasted a gritty Rams squad in front of the largest crowd to ever witness a Super Bowl (103,985).
Cameron Heyward, who actually conducted Harris’ final interview before his passing, said that the current team wants to honor the ’70s teams by winning whenever they wear the throwback uniform.
“I like the little differences, the little nuances, but it’s similar to our standard jersey because that is the tradition we hold,” Heyward said of the throwbacks, via the team’s website. “You see all of the throwbacks that are out there, and they are cool colors and everything, but we have a rich tradition behind it knowing we won so many Super Bowls here. It’s special to wear a jersey that resembles those.
“This game wouldn’t be what it is today without them. They paved the way for us. We’re just running with it. We are trying to leave the legacy the way they did.”