PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Steelers' charter flight home following a Sunday night win in Las Vegas made an emergency landing in Kansas City early Monday.
Our team charter plane was unexpectedly diverted to Kansas City early this morning on our way back to Pittsburgh following our game in Las Vegas. Everyone on the plane is safe, and we are making necessary plans to arrive back in Pittsburgh later today.
— Burt Lauten (@SteelersPRBurt) September 25, 2023
Team spokesman Burt Lauten posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, that “everyone on the plane is safe and we are making necessary plans to arrive back in Pittsburgh later today.”
Sorry you had to make an unscheduled touchdown in Kansas City, @Steelers. That will be the only one this year (not on the @Chiefs schedule). Post season: who knows? Fly safely. pic.twitter.com/KF17e3neN2
— Kansas City International Airport (@Fly_KansasCity) September 25, 2023
KDKA TV, which has a pair of journalists on the team plane, reported the plane landed in Kansas City just before 5 a.m. EDT. The station reported the plane was dealing with an oil pressure failure in one of the engines.
The team was originally scheduled to arrive in Pittsburgh around 5:30 a.m. EDT after improving to 2-1 by holding off the Raiders.
Dang emergency landing in KC.I think it’s due to @minkfitz_21 “roughing the passer call” but seriously landing KC……….
— Cam Heyward (@CamHeyward) September 25, 2023
Veteran defensive tackle Cam Heyward had a little fun with the situation, joking on X with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and pop star Taylor Swift that the team needed a ride to Pittsburgh. Swift attended Kansas City's blowout victory over Chicago on Sunday as a guest of Kelce's.
The Steelers were given Monday off by head coach Mike Tomlin. They travel to Houston on Oct. 1.