Pittsburgh Steelers fans soak in the excitement at annual Friday Night Lights practice

LATROBE, Pa. — The energy was electric when the Steelers showed up to Latrobe Memorial Stadium for their annual Friday Night practice under the lights.

“Just the atmosphere,” said Jason Stone of Uniontown, attending his third Friday Night Lights. “The people the crowd, the noise, you can’t get anything better than being here! Friday Night Lights!”

Fans told Channel 11’s Andrew Havranek they look forward to this practice all summer. They said there’s just something special about seeing the pros up close, and getting their autographs.

This year, a highly coveted autograph was that of the four-time NFL MVP Quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

“I’ve gotten Aaron Rodgers, [Spencer] Anderson, Pat Friermuth, that was awesome!” said Lexi Thurston of Chesterfield, Virginia. “[Rodgers is] an absolute legend like you can’t get any better than that. It’s like crazy it made me freak out, I didn’t know what to do.”

“I’m hoping he leads us to the Super Bowl, obviously getting him that last one before he retires,” said Landon Thomas of Lancaster, Ohio.

Before practice started Channel 11’s Andrew Havranek caught up with fan who shares the Aaron Rodgers name. Of course, her first name is spelled a bit differently, but it’s still caused her some hardships, especially after Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers beat the Steelers in Super Bowl XLV.

“Growing up I always got name like, all kinds of jokes about me, when I go into restaurants, everyone thinks I’m joking most of the time, they’re like ‘you’re Erin Rodgers?’” she said.

Now, she’s just hoping that since Aaron Rodgers is in the black and gold, she won’t be booed anymore.

“It makes it a lot better instead of it being kind of an exciting but also booing me it will be more an all around 100% good because now I can outwardly support him and not be shunned,” Rodgers said.

And as for that Rodgers Packers jersey she owns?

“Are you going to be replacing that with a Steelers’ Rodgers jersey?” Havranek asked.

“I am considering it,” Rodgers said.

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