bv. Steelers Legend DE Battles After Stroke But Never Misses a Game, Family Shares His Undying Love for Pittsburgh

In a quiet home just outside Pittsburgh, the sound of the Steelers’ broadcast still fills the room every Sunday.

Framed photos line the walls, snapshots from Super Bowl XIII and XIV, newspaper headlines from the dynasty years, and one familiar black-and-gold helmet that once roared onto Three Rivers Stadium. Sitting by the window with a Terrible Towel folded neatly in his lap, one of the team’s fiercest warriors still watches, still cheers, for the only team he’s ever loved.

The former defensive end, who once helped anchor the “Steel Curtain” defense during the 1970s, has spent the past several months recovering after suffering a stroke in September. The man who used to bulldoze offensive lines with unmatched intensity now fights a different kind of battle, one measured not in tackles, but in small steps toward recovery.

When the Steelers take the field, his eyes still light up. His fingers twitch like he’s getting ready for the snap, that same fire that once made him a champion still burns deep inside.

That man is John Banaszak, now 74 years old, a three-time Super Bowl champion and one of the most respected figures in Steelers history. His toughness on the field was legendary, but those close to him say it’s his quiet determination off it that defines him today.

His wife, Mary Banaszak, says that love for the Steelers has never faded. She sits beside him every Sunday, holding his hand as he raises his Terrible Towel each time the team scores. “He can’t shout like he used to,” she says softly, “but when that ‘Here We Go Steelers’ song plays, his lips move with every word.”

“Every week, he asks what time kickoff is. No matter how tired he feels, he wants to watch. He can’t run routes anymore, but he still remembers every roar from Steelers’ Stadium. That sound – it keeps him alive.”

Doctors say his recovery has been slow but steady. His family believes that keeping up his Sunday football ritual has given him purpose, something to hold on to through the hardest days.

Former teammates and coaches have reached out with messages of support, and the Steelers organization has sent gifts and calls reminding him that he will always be part of the family.

Across Steelers Nation, fans have shared prayers, memories, and clips of his glory days under the hashtag #StandToughJohn, honoring not just the player who helped build a dynasty, but the man who still embodies its spirit.

John Banaszak may never walk through the tunnel again, but his legacy still echoes in every hit, every chant, and every Terrible Towel waving high.
He is Pittsburgh, tough, loyal, and unbreakable.