FOXBOROUGH, MA (93.7 The Fan) – During the week leading up to the game, safety Jabrill Peppers tried to downplay facing New England. Going against the team that didn’t think he was good enough anymore. He walked out of Gillette Stadium with a game ball after a 21-14 Steelers win.
Peppers got his first action in the Steelers defense Sunday, just a week after he signed. He finished with six tackles and a huge fumble recovery, after which he celebrated.
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“Letting the fans know I miss them, but I’m down with the Steeler Curtain and hoping to become a fan favorite here too,” Peppers said.
“That is always huge,” said linebacker Patrick Queen who had that feeling against the Ravens. “There are always going to be emotions when you are with a team, when you leave a place especially the way it happened. You are excited for things like that.”
“He was excited. That’s all he wanted, got a game ball and I’m happy for him.”
“I think he enjoyed it a lot,” said Steelers captain Cam Heyward. “We always talk about getting petty balls. I think when we have these guys that played elsewhere and are welcomed to the Steelers, it’s really special for us to get the ‘W’ for them.”
“As former players when you are playing former teams, that’s what you want,” said quarterback Aaron Rodgers. “You want to make a big play and make them think about what they lost. There is always that. You like to get them the ball or like to have them make some plays. He was definitely happy in the locker room.”
Rodgers said he felt that way just a couple of weeks ago in the Steelers other win, against the Jets.
Safety Jalen Ramsey credited Peppers, saying the communication was there when they were the two safeties on the field. He knew the former first-round pick could play and Ramsey said he’s glad to have him with the Steelers. He was to show how he can still play, still just 29-years-old.
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Peppers said it meant a lot to him that the coaching staff trusted him. He was able to keep his emotions in check and make an impact in what could have been a critical loss this season, instead a 21-14 win.
“I dove in the playbook every day, every night to make sure I’m on top of my game, to make sure I communicate the right way, to make sure I’m in the right spots,” Peppers said. “It’s definitely a lot I have to work on to fine tune the minute details, but I was definitely grateful for the opportunity today.”