The NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers organization has sent a letter to fans who were angry that two current players appeared with President Donald Trump at last week's steel rally outside the city, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported.
Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph and special teams captain Miles Killebrew joined former Steelers running back Rocky Bleier for a brief onstage appearance on Friday in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, when Trump announced the $14 billion merger between Nippon Steel and U.S. Steel, a deal the administration says will save or create 14,000 jobs in Pittsburgh alone.
The Steelers said the appearances were not scheduled through the team.
"We understand that a recent rally in Pittsburgh has generated a range of reactions from our fan base. Our alumni and current players make their own individual decisions that reflect their views, and they do not necessarily represent the view of the entire Pittsburgh Steelers organization," read the email to season-ticket holders and other fans, according to the report.
Rudolph and Killebrew made brief statements at the rally while Bleier, who played for the Steelers in 1968 and from 1971 to 1980, presented Trump with a Steelers No. 47 jersey — as the 47th president — for a "Hall of Fame president."
Both players were unapologetic about attending.
"I got to meet the president. I'm not apologetic about that. For anyone who thinks that's a bad thing, to be honest, I couldn't care less. I wasn't there signing legislation. I was just there meeting the president and glad I did it," Killebrew said.
Rudolph said: "It was a pretty incredible opportunity to meet guys who literally make steel. I had never been to a steel mill before. It was pretty impressive. Sounds like a great, new investment. It's gonna help create jobs and bolster the Pittsburgh economy."
Members of the Rooney family, which owns the Steelers, have supported Democrats. The late team chair Dan Rooney was appointed U.S. ambassador to Ireland by President Barack Obama.
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Mark Swanson, a Newsmax writer and editor, has nearly three decades of experience covering news, culture and politics.