Just when the Steelers thought they could focus on football, the internet had other plans. A rookie player—whose name is now trending for all the wrong reasons—has landed in hot water after a series of leaked DMs set off a social media storm less than 24 hours before kickoff.
The direct messages, which appeared to show the player trying to get extra friendly with a local influencer, were shared via screenshots late Saturday night. By Sunday morning, they had been screenshotted, memed, and dissected across every sports blog and fan page in Pittsburgh.
So what’s in the messages? Let’s just say, while they’re not explicit, they’re definitely cringe. The rookie appears to have sent a string of thirsty late-night messages—including the now-infamous line: “Wanna wear my jersey after I win tomorrow?” Spoiler alert: he did not win, and she very publicly declined.
To make things worse, the influencer captioned the screenshots with: “Should’ve focused on the playbook, not the pickup lines.” Oof.
Inside the team, it’s reportedly caused a bit of a stir—not because the DMs were shocking (these things happen), but because the timing couldn’t have been worse. Coaches were prepping for a must-win game. Teammates were locked in. And meanwhile, their rookie wideout (yes, that’s your hint) was trending for Instagram drama.
One teammate reportedly told a reporter off the record, “We’ve all been young, but you gotta know better when the lights are on you.” Another was more blunt: “He’s a grown man. He embarrassed himself.”
The rookie himself has gone silent—no statement, no social media activity, no post-game interview. A smart move, honestly. But the damage is done. The team lost, the rookie underperformed, and now everyone’s talking about his DMs instead of his stats.
Coach Mike Tomlin brushed off questions in his usual no-nonsense style, saying only, “We’re focused on football, not phone screens.” But fans aren’t letting it slide. One viral comment summed up the mood: “Bro couldn’t catch a pass, but caught feelings at 2 a.m.”
Will this become a learning moment or the start of a pattern? Only time will tell. For now, the rookie’s got some trust to rebuild—not just with fans, but maybe with a few veterans in that locker room who’d rather their teammates slide into the end zone than someone’s DMs.
