Steelers Cancel Paris Fan Event Amid City Unrest Days Before First NFL Game in France
Pittsburgh scrapped its planned fan event in Paris this week because of ongoing riots and looting across the city, days before Sunday's historic first NFL regular-season game in France against the Saints.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have canceled their fan event planned for Paris this week, citing safety concerns amid weeks of unrest in the French capital. The team announced the decision on Thursday, just days before the first NFL regular-season game ever played in France, when the 4-2 Steelers meet the 2-4 New Orleans Saints in Week 7. // Riots and looting have swept parts of Paris over the past several weeks and show no signs of slowing, prompting the team to pull the plug on its public fan gathering. The Steelers were scheduled to fly out Thursday after practice, with the Saints already in Paris. // The NFL has issued multiple statements on the situation, saying it is confident in the security plan surrounding the historic game. The cancellation marks a somber note ahead of what was meant to be a celebration week for the league's international push, but the game itself remains on track. // Pittsburgh is already dealing with roster churn before the trip, having cut veteran safety Rayshawn Jenkins on Wednesday, and defensive tackle Sebastian Joseph-Day landed on injured reserve with a triceps injury.