Former Steelers Great Honors 47th President with Custom Jersey
Steelers legend Rocky Bleier made headlines this week by naming U.S. President Donald Trump an honorary Pittsburgh Steeler during a recent rally held in the Steel City.
Bleier was joined onstage by Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph and special teams standout Miles Killebrew. As the trio appeared at a packed Trump campaign event in Pittsburgh.
A No. 47 Jersey for the 47th President
Bleier, a four-time Super Bowl champion and member of the Steelers Hall of Honor, stepped up to the podium and made a bold proclamation.
“Mr. President, on behalf of U.S. Steel and the people of Pittsburgh, more importantly, to all the Steeler fans here this evening. I have the honor of making you an honorary Pittsburgh Steeler. And would like to present you with your jersey,” Bleier announced. “With the No. 47, as the 47th President of the United States. This is a number that hangs in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. I’d like to present this to a Hall of Fame president.”
Following the announcement, Trump posed for a photo alongside Bleier, Rudolph, and Killebrew, proudly holding up the custom Steelers No. 47 jersey.
President Trump invited Steelers legend Rocky Bleier, current quarterback Mason Rudolph and safety Miles Killebrew onto the stage in West Mifflin during Friday's remarks. Bleier named Trump an "honorary Pittsburgh Steeler."https://t.co/poWKvZJa5S pic.twitter.com/3fnOIcL56N
— WTAE-TV Pittsburgh (@WTAE) May 30, 2025
Steelers and Politics Collide
While the Steelers organization itself has not officially commented, Bleier’s gesture adds a new chapter to the complex intersection of sports and politics in Pittsburgh. Given Bleier’s legacy and military service, his words carried weight with the crowd.
This is not the first time a major political figure has been honored in a sports context, but few gestures have been as symbolic, or as headline-grabbing, as naming a former president an “honorary Steeler.”