The Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers have one of the greatest rivalries in football, but gestures from both teams Sunday show that unity in times of crisis is bigger than football.
Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is honoring victims of the Oct. 27 shooting massacre at Tree of Life synagogue with his cleats, which are decorated with the Star of David incorporated into the Steelers logo, with the phrase “stronger than hate.”
Former Steelers community relations manager Michele Rosenthal’s brothers, David and Cecil Rosenthal, were killed in last weekend’s shooting. Michele Rosenthal is also active in Roethlisberger’s foundation.
We are #StrongerThanHate. pic.twitter.com/ZMwwfs04aM
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) November 4, 2018
Roethlisberger, his wife, head coach Mike Tomlin, and dozens of Steelers players attended the joint funeral on Tuesday for the Rosenthal brothers.
Eleven people were killed at the Tree of Life synagogue shooting, and six others were injured after a gunman during services early last Saturday morning. The suspected gunman, Robert Bowers, pleaded not guilty on Thursday after being charged with 44 counts related to the death of 11 people.
Bowers was indicted Wednesday on 44 counts related to the attack.
The day after the shooting, the Steelers held a moment of silence before their game against the Cleveland Browns.
The Ravens, which are the home team Sunday, held a moment of silence for the victims of the shooting, and the scoreboard read, “Baltimore stands with Pittsburgh.”
I love you Baltimore. Now time to lose #PITvsBAL pic.twitter.com/nx8hpfe7VV
— Joshua Axelrod (@jaxel222) November 4, 2018
