The NBC drama This is Us is the story of the Pearson family from Pittsburgh, told in several different time frames. The award-winning series are considered to be one of the most beautifully written stories about life, family, love and grief.
It’s hard to not notice how, including the Pittsburgh Steelers in the show, Dan Fogelman, the show’s creator, who grew up in Pittsburgh, is paying respect to the city. And his love for the city shines through in more ways than one. But let’s focus on how the Steelers became a big part of the show.
Photo via Pam Panchak / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Now that the show has come to a conclusion, let's take a look back at all the ways the Steelers have remained at the center of the six-season story through memorable sports moments in the Pearson family.
But remember it’s a TV show, not as unpredictable as VIP casino, so if you’re planning to watch: spoiler alert.
The Towel
No one will forget the first scene in which Milo Ventimiglia's character, Jack Pearson, was dressed in nothing but a Terrible Towel, a well-known Pittsburgh souvenir among football fans. This was the first sign of the family's unwavering support for the Pittsburgh Steelers throughout their lives.
The Big Three
The big three is the nickname given to Jack and Rebecca's (Mandy Moore) children in the pilot episode. Of course, this is a reference to the amount of Super Bowls the Pittsburgh Steelers had won by the time the kids were born in 1980.
Photo via NBC / YouTube
Also, two of the big three's members, Kevin and Kate (played by Justin Hartley and Chrissy Metz, respectively), were undoubtedly Super Bowl babies, as they were conceived on the night of the 1979 Super Bowl, in which the Steelers won.
The Day Jack & Rebecca Meet
It was finally revealed how Jack and Rebecca met in the third season opener, which also happened to be the night of the Immaculate Reception. The Pittsburgh Steelers played the Oakland Raiders at Three Rivers Stadium on Dec. 23, 1972. When the ball deflected off one of the players, Franco Harris of the Steelers caught it and scored the game-winning touchdown.
Many consider this to be a watershed moment for the Steelers, who went on to win four Super Bowls in the years after.
Super Bowl Sundays
Throughout the show, we witness the family uphold their tradition of gathering on Super Bowl Sunday to watch the game together and root for the Steelers. Several alternative versions of this event are depicted in the series, such as Kate watching the Super Bowl with the vase containing her father's ashes by her side or Rebecca telling her son Kevin about how Jack, even long gone, sent her something that made her smile that day.
Photo via Vivian Zink / NBC
“The Steelers have laid underneath the fabric of the show in a really cool way,” Creator Dan Fogelman said during an NBC “This Is Us” press conference earlier this year.
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