PITTSBURGH, Pa. -- The National Football League and Pittsburgh Steelers announced today special pregame activities for Thursday's NFL OPENING KICKOFF 2009 that will precede the Tennessee Titans-Steelers game at Heinz Field at 8:30 PM ET (NBC, NFL.com, NBCSports.com, Westwood One Radio Sports).
On the eve of the eighth anniversary of 9/11, the NFL and Steelers will pay tribute to the men and women who lost their lives on that tragic day. Members of 40 families who lost loved ones on Flight 93 which crashed in nearby western Pennsylvania will be on the field for the tribute. They will wear number 93 Steelers jerseys with the name of their loved ones on the back.
Steelers great and recent Hall of Fame inductee ROD WOODSON will participate in the coin toss ceremony.
HARRY CONNICK JR. will sing the national anthem from Heinz Field.
The Steelers also will salute their Super Bowl XLIII team with a special on-field moment.
Festivities at Heinz Field will be preceded by a free concert in Point State Park in downtown Pittsburgh. TIM McGRAW and THE BLACK EYED PEAS will perform with activities beginning at 4:00 p.m. (ET) in "NFL OPENING KICKOFF 2009 PRESENTED BY EA SPORTS." Portions of the eighth annual football and music festival will be televised live 8-8:30 PM (ET) on NBC and NFL Network, leading up to the season opener.
