Steelers’ plane makes emergency landing after win
The charter plane transporting the Pittsburgh Steelers after their road win in Las Vegas was forced to make an emergency landing in Kansas City early Monday, the team announced.
The Steelers were traveling back to Pittsburgh following “Sunday Night Football” when their plane was “unexpectedly diverted” to Kansas City International Airport, according to the announcement.
“Everyone on the plane is safe, and we are making necessary plans to arrive back in Pittsburgh later today,” the Steelers’ communications director wrote on social media.
The Steelers did not disclose what caused the diversion, but the Kansas City Aviation Department confirmed to the Daily News that the issue was engine-related.
Airport officials were notified of the emergency around 4 a.m. local time, the department said. A replacement plane arrived from Atlanta more than five later hours later and, after the Steelers boarded, took off for Pittsburgh at 10:39 a.m. local time, according to the flight tracking website Flight Aware.
The incident occurred after the Steelers (2-1) defeated the Las Vegas Raiders (1-2) at Allegiant Stadium, 23-18.
The Steelers’ Cam Heyward, a six-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle who is currently injured, quipped on social media that the emergency landing was due to teammate Minkah Fitzpatrick’s roughing the passer penalty in the game.
Heyward, 34, then joked about Taylor Swift’s appearance Sunday at Kansas City’s GEHA Stadium and Arrowhead Field, where the pop star watched the Chiefs’ Travis Kelce play the Chicago Bears amid dating rumors.
“Yo @taylorswift13 & @ tkelce we might need a ride to Pittsburgh,” Heyward wrote.
The Steelers, who are tied with the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns for the AFC North lead, are scheduled to play the Texans in Houston next Sunday.
“Sorry you had to make an unscheduled touchdown in Kansas City, @Steelers,” KCI Airport wrote Monday on social media. “That will be the only one this year (not on the @ Chiefs schedule). Post season: who knows? Fly safely.”