Nick Wright’s proclamation should have Steelers fans furious

Fox Sports 1 analyst Nick Wright offered his take on the Kansas City Chiefs taking on the Pittsburgh Steelers, and his comments will make Steelers nation unhappy. 

Nick Wright of Fox Sports 1’s First Things First is a die-hard Kansas City Cheifs fan, so of course, he would pick them to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers.

However, when asked about the matchup on Tuesday’s episode, Wright brushed it off, calling the game an easy win for the Chiefs, explicitly referring to it as a “bye week.”

"“Worried?! No. This is actually Better than a Bye. Get some cardio in, knock off some rust, have no chance of losing & just be rolling when the playoffs actually start for the Chiefs, in the Divisional Rd.”"

If that makes its way to the Heinz headquarters, no doubt Steelers players and their fans are going to be furious, as they should be. Since when was ever any opponent to be treated like a bye week?

We just saw the Jacksonville Jaguars upset the Indianapolis Colts and knock them out of the playoffs, proving that on any given Sunday, anything can happen. Even though Pittsburgh already lost to Kansas City earlier in the year, that has no bearing on what happens now.

Though the retirement of Ben Roethlisberger is pending, it should be noted that Kansas City’s fanbase necessarily should not be making fun of it, as one individual did.

For those who recall, in the 2018 AFC Championship game between the Chiefs and the Patriots, several Chiefs fans brought posters to the game signifying it as Patriots quarterback Tom Brady’s retirement party.

By night’s end, New England was on its way to the Super Bowl and Brady’s sixth title, while the Chiefs were left sulking, that is until the following season when they won it all, but that’s beside the point.

Nick Wright is wrong to mock the Pittsburgh Steelers, and it may come back to bite

There’s a difference between believing wholeheartedly in your favorite team and disrespecting the opposition, which is ultimately what Wright did, but there is a catch. If indeed Kansas City wins, the proclamation looks prophetic.

If they lose, however, not only is Kansas City eliminated from the playoffs, but their run as AFC Champions will be over for at least a season, and Wright’s comments would look foolish. Also, it would be the first time since the postseason expanded that a No.2 seed would lose to a No.7 seed.

The Steelers may have made the playoffs in the last minute and they may be heavy underdogs. But a team with no expectations is a dangerous team, regardless of personnel. It would be wise for Wright to be a bit more careful in overlooking an opponent, even if it does end up working out in his favor.