The Baltimore Ravens may have been victims of a supernatural sliced kick thanks to the help of a Catholic priest at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh.
Football fans saw the Pittsburgh Steelers secure a spot in the NFL playoffs when Tyler Loop of the Ravens missed what would have been a game-winning field goal as time expired during their Sunday, January 4, match up. But what if Loop’s miss and the Steelers’ 26-24 win was determined hours before the players even stepped on to the field?
After the game, video surfaced online of a priest blessing the Acrisure Stadium end zone with holy water earlier that evening. It was the same end zone where Loop’s attempt sailed wide right.
The Steelers needed all the help they could get, both mortal and divine. The contest was the de facto AFC North championship game, and had Baltimore won, they would have been headed to the playoffs as division champions over Pittsburgh.
NBC showed the video of the blessing after the game as the clip began making its rounds on the Internet.
“So it’s not Tyler Loop’s fault.” https://t.co/8JOXwBcfoq pic.twitter.com/uLkxukbFN2
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 5, 2026
“The Catholic community in Pittsburgh is really strong, and its ties to the Steelers are everywhere,” broadcaster Mike Tirico said. “And down at that end zone, Tyler Loop misses the field goal and allows the Steelers to win.”
Loop, 24, spoke to the media after the game where he had a more technical explanation for his miss.
“Operation was great,” he said. “It was a great situation, exactly what we wanted. Unfortunately I just mishit the ball. We call it hitting it thin. It spins fast and it goes off to the right. That was it.”
He added, “I got back there and looked at the play clock. I saw 22 seconds. Took my steps. Took over. Visualized what the ball looks like when it’s held down. Jordan (Stout) picked up his fingers, and that was my cue to go. Saw the ball, tried to visualize the ball going through the uprights where I want it. Swung. The result didn’t match my process.”
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin was much more blunt, telling reporters, “You know how it is. If my aunt had male parts, she’d be my uncle.”
Tomlin, 53, added that while the team would celebrate winning the division, they have bigger things in mind headed into the playoffs.
“We’re AFC North champions,” he said. “That sounds good, and it feels good. But we didn’t come here for that. We’re here for what lies ahead.”
As for Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who signed a one-year deal with Pittsburgh in the offseason and could be playing his final NFL season, he was able to reflect on the team’s rocky 10-7 season with a smile.
“We haven’t made it easy on ourselves, really all season, I guess,” Rodgers, 42, said, per ESPN. “But I’m proud of our guys. I’m proud of the way that we responded multiple times after they took a lead. It just takes a little belief at this point in the season.”
The Steelers will begin their playoff run against the Houston Texans at home on Monday, January 12.
