Pittsburgh Steelers win AFC North championship sport in miraculous style after Catholic priest blesses discipline with holy water
Before the Pittsburgh Steelers faced off against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday night for the AFC North division championship title, a priest was seen blessing the end zone in which Ravens’ kicker Tyler Loop missed what would have been a game-winning field goal.
Father Maximilian Maxwell, prior of the Archabbey at St. Vincent’s in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, delivered the blessing before the game, sprinkling holy water in the end zone, per WTAE.
The Steelers ultimately ended up winning the game 26-24, becoming the AFC North division champions. When the Ravens’ kicker made the 44-yard field goal attempt that would have sent the Baltimore team advance to the playoffs, the kick went wide to the right as the time ran out at the same end zone the priest sprinkled holy water.
NFL announcer Mike Tirico said after the game during Sunday Night Football, “This is a priest who is spreading holy water in that end zone.” He added, “the Catholic community in Pittsburgh is really strong, and its ties to the Steelers are everywhere. And down at that end zone, Tyler Loop misses the field goal and allows the Steelers to win.
Sunday Night Football announcer Cris Collinsworth said, “so it’s not Tyler Loop’s fault,” to which Tirico responded, “as with everything in football, it’s at a higher power.”
The Steelers will now face off against the Houston Texans in a January 12 Wild Card game in the NFL Playoffs. The AFC and NFC champions will face off on February 8 in Santa Clara, California in the Super Bowl, which has come under fire for having Bad Bunny as the halftime show act.