Several Bucs return home to Pittsburgh

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Remember the old Heinz ketchup commercial? The one centered around waiting for the ketchup to finally drip from the bottle. The anticipation was palpable. That’s probably what it feels like for some Buccaneers players returning to Heinz Field to play the Steelers Friday night. For wide receiver Justin Watson, safety Jordan Whitehead, and quarterback Jameis Winston, this game could be as much about past memories as it is about making new ones.

Steel in His Blood

For Watson, it’s like going home. Well, it literally is going home for the second-year receiver from South Fayette Township, PA., 20 minutes southwest of Pittsburgh. Watson grew up a Steelers fan wearing his black and gold jersey to church on Sundays.

Interestingly enough, the first time the wideout tried to catch the football high school, the ball bounced off his head giving him the nickname “No-Hands Watson“. He would end up catching 63 passes for a record 1,568 yards and 22 touchdowns his senior year.

No offers from Division I schools, Watson would attend the University of Pennsylvania and earn a degree from the prestigious Wharton School of Business. Later on, he would catch the eye of Skylar Fulton at the 2018 East-West Shrine game. The Bucs hired Fulton as wide receivers coach the year they drafted Watson.

Now the young man who grew up dreaming of playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers will travel there as a Buccaneer. Watson should see plenty of playing time Friday night and will likely have many family members and friends in attendance.

Hail to Pitt

Jordan Whitehead, another Pittsburgh area native, realized early on there wasn’t much he couldn’t do on the football field. He played both offense and defense at Central Valley High in Monaca, PA, 40 minutes north of Pittsburgh. Whitehead would continue to play both ways after arriving at the University of Pittsburgh, the same college his cousin Darrelle Revis attended. On offense that season, he carried the ball 12 times for 122 yards and two touchdowns. On defense, though, is where his bread is buttered. Whitehead would tally 108 tackles, one interception, six pass deflections and one fumble recovery as a true freshman. He would play two more seasons as a Pitt Panther before declaring for the NFL draft. Whitehead was then selected by the Buccaneers in the fourth round of the 2018 draft. The green grass at Heinz field was his old stomping grounds. Now, Whitehead returns for his first time as a pro.

Where It All Started

Bucs Report has covered this magical night the entire world was introduced to Famous Jameis at Heinz Field back in 2013 before. The 19-year-old redshirt freshman wunderkind from Bessemer, AL would play his first college game on the road against the Pitt Panthers. All Winston did that night in Heinz Field was start the game by going 17-18 for 240 yards and three touchdowns… in the first half. He would finish the game with a final stat line of 25-27 (92.5%), four passing touchdowns and one rushing. With a 41-13 lead halfway through the 4th quarter, backup quarterback Jacob Coker went on to close out the game. But that night, a star was born in Winston.

Homecoming of Sorts for Coaches, Too

Of course, we mustn’t forget Arians spent eight years coaching wide receivers and coordinating the offense in Pittsburgh. It goes deeper than the head honcho, though. Bucs linebackers coach Larry Foote had an 11-year career in Pittsburgh. Foote dominated the linebackers position for much of that time before playing his final season under Arians in Arizona. Though having to share the spotlight with Hines Ward, Bucs offensive assistant Antwaan Randle El played in all 16 games during in each of his four seasons as a Steelers receiver.

Magical Beginnings

There are surely other Heinz Field stories of the past for other Buccaneer players who will be suiting up in the first preseason game — probably some great stories. There will also be stories that begin Friday night at Heinz Field — stories of an undrafted player getting his first taste of the NFL, maybe a veteran re-energizing a career. Maybe a young girl or boy, sitting in the stands that is sure a player just made eye contact with them, possibly beginning a lifelong love affair with this great sport we call football. Heinz Field will be magical for many reasons this Friday night. Not the least of which being the start of the Bruce Arians regime.

 

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