The Pittsburgh Steelers are often under fire when it comes to how the organization operates off of the field. On the field the product has been hated on, but the franchise does win more than the average NFL team despite the fact that the fan base has not seen a postseason win since the 2016 season. The top decision-makers usually get bashed when the NFLPA's report cards come out, and that was the case during the 2026 offseason. The Steelers came in last in the entire NFL; and the facilities, and everything Pittsburgh has to offer are completely outdated when compared to the rest of the league.
Matt Freed / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Steelers General Manager Omar Khan and Owner Art Rooney II on the field at a team practices while having a discussion.
Team President and Owner Art Rooney II is typically the man under fire when things like this are publicized, and rightfully so. The Steelers ranked last in their willingness to invest in theirs facilities. The players also graded the home field and locker room with an F, and players stated that the organization lacks updated recovery technology and modalities.
It is completely embarrassing for an NFL franchise to be bashed like this, especially one that is usually held in such high regard. However, some good has finally come out about the organization and how it treats its players.
Lucy Moore Plumlee, the wife of Steelers wide receiver John Rhys Plumlee, posted a video to her social media channels discussing how they are treated by the team.
"My husband is in the NFL, and we are living in the housing provided by the team for the offseason." Lucy said. "Not much cooking can be done in our little hotel kitchen, so he brings home lunch and dinner every day from the facility. It's a surprise every meal, what I'm going to get."
Lucy seemed very gracious for their situation in her video, and she showed a pair of meals that John brought home for the couple from the facility. For lunch, the couple had chicken parm with asparagus for one meal option and steak and asparagus for the other. The dinner was steak, lobster, green beans, and potatoes.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers wide receiver John Rhys Plumlee catches a pass during the first day of voluntary veteran minicamp during the 2026 offseason.
Providing offseason housing and food to players is probably the status quo for organization's around the league, but it is nice to see the Steelers painted in a positive light when it comes to how the franchise operates off of the field. The couple seemed very appreciative, and that was good to see.
John has not had the easiest NFL career. He played college football at both Ole Miss and UCF, and he was also a baseball player. He was a quarterback in college and went undrafted in 2023, but he did sign with Pittsburgh as a free agent.
John never made the Pittsburgh roster as he was waived at the end of training camp prior to the 2024 season. He then went on to spend time with the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Seattle Seahawks. After being waived by Seattle ahead of the 2025 season, he signed with the practice squad in Pittsburgh near the end of October. He then inked a reserve/futures contract with the team. This tumultuous journey for the couple cannot be easy, so it is good to see the franchise taking care of them.
Taylor Ollason / Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers facility during voluntary 2026 offseason workouts.
Steelers Could Keep John Rhys Plumlee Through The 2026 Season
John is an interesting player due to the fact that he is an experienced college quarterback that switched over to wide receiver in the NFL. There are plenty of players that have done that and found success — most notably, Julian Edelman.
However, this does make John somewhat valuable in Pittsburgh. He can play quarterback for the practice squad whenever the Steelers are preparing to face a shifty or mobile signal-caller. This could come in handy as the Steelers are slated to play the Baltimore Ravens, New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers, New England Patriots, Philadelphia Eagles, and Tennessee Titans.
What do you think about this video from Lucy? Let me know on X, @brogannoey!
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