The Pittsburgh Steelers have been around the league for a long time, since 1933. In that time, they've seen it all: going to the highest of highs and lowest of lows. Their usual smash-you-in-the-mouth style of play on both sides of the ball has helped them win six Lombardi trophies. That means they spend a lot of time traveling and spending nights in hotels in other cities when they play away games. This allows them to see many wild and unexpected things, both good and bad. It also means they find themselves in some unpredictable situations.
Steelers defensive tackle Cameron Heyward just wrapped up his 14th season in the league, all with Pittsburgh. He said that football players probably get it better than players in other sports because they don't play a series of games away like they might in hockey or baseball. They usually just stay one night and then depart.
However, the players know that the road can be unpredictable, and he said he doesn't take any chances. On his podcast, Not Just Football with Cam Heyward, his co-host Hayden Walsh asked if he has ever had anything crazy happen. Heyward said absolutely, and because of what happened to a former teammate, he won't open his hotel room door to strangers.
"This year, we were in Cincinnati, and it was like three o'clock in the morning, and there was a woman banging on the door with like a pimp," recalled Heyward. "I remember looking through my peephole, and I was like, I'm not dealing with this because in years past, we had a player, Vance McDonald, he opened up his door late at night and got robbed in Denver by just some random people. But, this time, there was a woman who had gone around the multiple rooms trying to, you know, do whatever. But it was crazy, like getting through security and then making it all the way to our hotel rooms."
Vance McDonald was not a small man, so he must have been caught off guard. He played tight end for Pittsburgh from 2017-2020 and stood 6'4" and about 270 pounds. He is probably best remembered for a nasty stiff arm on a play against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Former quarterback Ben Roethlisberger threw him a pass he managed to reel in. All Chris Conte had to do was make that tackle, but McDonald came with a stiff arm and helped them win that game.
Walsh was stunned. He said he had never heard either of these stories before. Heyward said he feels like crazy things don't happen to NFL players as much as you would think because security is so tight. The players are generally dialed in and want a good night's sleep because they have to be ready early the next day.
Steelers Fans Remember Denver For A Different Crime
While many fans may not have heard about McDonald getting robbed while in town to play the Denver Broncos, they remember Denver for a different crime. In 2003, Joey Porter Sr. was in Denver just before the start of the season and was shot in the buttocks outside of a bar.
That era had one of Pittsburgh's best defenses, and Porter's teammates said they loved to get riled up. They would go looking for an excuse to get angry before playing a game; it was one of the secrets to their success.
The injury was not serious, and he only missed a couple of games. However, the 2005 Steelers team used that shooting to propel them to a win over the Broncos in the AFC Championship to make it to Super Bowl XL. Porter, who was always known to fire up his teammates, gave his famous "Who ride, we ride" speech before the game. He reminded his fellow defenders that the last time he was in Denver, they shot him. It didn't matter that the shooting had nothing to do with the Steelers or the Broncos; it worked.
