Steelers' Michael Pittman Jr. holds flag football clinic with Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf

Steelers wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. is still searching for his first touchdown after three games in black and gold, but he helped students at the Western Pennsylvania School for the Deaf put themselves in position to score.

Pittman, partnering with Toyota and LOVE Sign, hosted a flag football clinic for the students on the Edgewood campus Tuesday, aiming to teach them the basics of the game and help them to build confidence through physical activity.

"The message here today is that deaf children belong," said Alexis Kashar, an attorney and founder of LOVE Sign. "We have Toyota and NFL showing deaf kids they can play the sport just like anyone else."

Pittman said football has provided him opportunities to give back to numerous communities, and his own personal experience with the game helped him overcome adversity in his younger years.

"I used to stutter and honestly, without sports, I probably wouldn't be standing up here," said Pittman, a second-round pick by the Indianapolis Colts in the 2020 NFL Draft. "So, just showing them that they can do the same thing, and that football is for everybody."

Students were divided into groups by grade and ran drills with volunteer coaches and ASL interpreters. The coaches gave the students one primary rule: to have fun and give their best effort, no matter the outcome. And the students' excitement was evident from the moment Pittman arrived.

"We did find out just yesterday that he was coming," 15-year-old Bella Weber said. "But it was still very exciting. I love meeting new people."

"I love to be able to communicate with my teammates and be able to work together," said Roddy Mihoerck, age 12. "It always makes me feel good to have good teamwork."

While Pittman and the coaches taught the campers how to throw, catch, and grab opposing players' flags, Pittman learned some basic ASL phrases from them, like "clap," "flag football," "good job" and "love."

Weber and Mihoerck said they both play multiple sports, but learning how to play flag football teaches them how to communicate with teammates and how to work together.

"Having an NFL player here is a very good idea, especially to support us," Mihoerck said. "Maybe that means one of us will have a future as a flag football player. It could be me."