The Viral Holy Water Moment Behind The Pittsburgh Steelers’ Big Win
Did a touch of the divine play a key role in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ dramatic AFC North title clincher?
Fans — especially the Catholic ones — certainly believe so. Others think God must be a Steelers fan.
Before kickoff at Acrisure Stadium, a Catholic priest was seen praying and sprinkling holy water across the field. The priest, Father Maximilian Maxwell, prior of Saint Vincent Archabbey in Latrobe, Penn., sprinkled the holy water in one end zone — the very same one where Baltimore Ravens kicker Tyler Loop missed wide right as the clock ran out.
READ: Finding Faith And Christian Belonging At Wembley Stadium
The Steelers won 26-24 and finished the season with a 10-7 record.
But the priest, in an interview Monday with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, gave the players all the credit.
However, Maxwell’s presence was more than a symbolic one. Since 1966, the Steelers have held training camp at Saint Vincent College, tying the storied franchise closely to the Benedictine community Maxwell now leads.
Maxwell wasn't originally slated to bless the field prior to kickoff and was actually stepping in for a fellow priest.
At the same time, Pittsburgh has traditionally had a very strong Catholic community. The Diocese of Pittsburgh alone serves about 628,000 Catholics across southwest Pennsylvania, making up roughly one-third of the region's total population.
The timing, however, is what fueled the story’s momentum across the internet. The Steelers narrow win — after Loop missed a 44-yard field goal attempt — fueled the stort further as the pregame ritual soon became a postgame talking point.
The now-viral moment before Sunday night’s showdown against the Ravens reveals something deeper about rituals, faith and how fans and players prep for a big game.
“I’m not going to ask questions,” Steelers defensive lineman Cam Heyward said. “The good Lord made a good decision tonight. I’m thankful and we keep moving on.”
The Steelers, by virtue of winning their division, will host the Houston Texans in the opening round of the NFL playoffs on Jan. 12.
Even before the game, some fans — even non-believers — took to social media to pray after seeing the video of Maxwell blessing the end zone.
“Hopefully praying for a Steelers win. Not a religious man, but I'll take any help the Steelers can get," one fan posted on X.
Mike Tirico, NBC’s play-by-play announcer, said after the game: “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.”
“So it’s not Tyler Loop’s fault,” Cris Collinsworth added.
“As with everything in football, it’s at a higher power,” Tirico replied.
After the game, Loop, a practicing Christian, said he had written a prayer before the game, which he read after the missed field goal.
“Faith is a big part of my life," he said. "It’s such a fortunate thing to be here, even going back — just being placed in Baltimore with this team has been the biggest blessing of my life and I’m super grateful for it.”
Understanding why the moment resonated also requires knowing what holy water means to Catholics. Water is blessed by a priest and used to remind Catholics of baptism, while also invoking God’s protection. Catholics believe holy water does not work magically, but that its power comes from God, not the water itself.
This past September, a poll conducted by Free Bets of over 2,000 football fans across all 32 NFL teams uncovered that many of them believe in the supernatural.
The survey revealed a deep belief in ghosts and demons, angels and aliens, in sacred signs and unholy forces — all potentially influencing the final score. For example, over half of Minnesota Vikings, Atlanta Falcons and Dallas Cowboys fans confess a belief in ghosts. Overall, 57.7% of NFL fans believe in angels, while 48.3% acknowledge the existence of demons.
Some fans polled said they believe what happens on the field is more than human. The belief in ghosts is highest with Vikings fans (57.8%), followed by those who cheer on the Falcons (55.4%).
Clemente Lisi serves as executive editor at Religion Unplugged.