Pirates' Paul Skenes Just Won Fans Over Even More
Paul Skenes has taken quite well to the city of Pittsburgh.
As the Pittsburgh Pirates' season winds down, the Pittsburgh Steelers are set to begin theirs on Sunday when they go on the road to face the Atlanta Falcons at 1 p.m. ET. Skenes made an appearance on Pardon My Take, a podcast for Barstool Sports.
PMT co-host Dan Katz asked Skenes about his favorite NFL team, to which he responded that he didn't have one. Katz told the Pirates' rookie right-hander that he should say that he's a Steelers fan.
"Big time Steelers fan," Skenes responded.
Paul Skenes has been a MASSIVE Steelers fan his entire life
— Pardon My Take (@PardonMyTake) September 6, 2024
Presented by @rhoback #ad pic.twitter.com/8Zkl9FWO63
Katz then joked that Skenes saying that he's been a Steelers fan will draw plenty of headlines and be the top story for numerous news stations in Pittsburgh.
"That's going to lead the 7 o'clock news in Pittsburgh," Katz said. "Paul Skenes says he's always been a Steelers fan."
"My whole life," Skenes quipped and nodded to the camera.
Katz's co-host, "PFT Commenter," then joked that all Pittsburgh sports fans view their team as the Steelers version of their respective sport. Skenes noted the amount of Steelers fans who attend Pirates games and how they appear from his point of view.
"That is one thing that's interesting about the fans," Skenes said. "They're all Steelers fans that just come to the games. They come to yell and I've never been in the stands so I'm just having a guess that they're just coming to yell and drink and just have a good time, which makes it fun to be out there. They're rowdy."
Skenes has been one of the few bright spots in the second half of the season, as he's currently 9-2 with a 2.13 ERA and in the thick of the National League Rookie of the Year race.
With the Pirates' season nearing the end, Skenes can soon turn his attention to the NFL team he's been pulling for his entire life as the Steelers look to make the playoffs for a second straight season.
NATHANIEL MARRERO