On Oct. 22, 2017, I covered my first Steelers game for DK Pittsburgh Sports, a 29-14 win over the Bengals.
In an ironic twist of fate, Sept. 11 in Cincinnati, I will cover my final game for this site, nearly five years after I started.
In the time between, I've covered the Steelers on a daily basis with everything I've had, putting in countless hours to bring you the best coverage of the team around. I hope I've at least come close to doing so. It's always been my goal.
But, as George Harrison once sang, all things must pass. I wouldn't leave my position here unless it was for an opportunity of a lifetime. And that's what I'm moving on to, a full-time position covering the organization for Steelers.com.
In the time since I've come here, we've grown exponentially, increasing the brand from a digital-only platform to one that now includes a podcast network, an expanding presence on YouTube and, of course, a Downtown store.
As the Steelers reporter here, I've not only covered the Steelers on a daily basis, I've covered Super Bowls, playoff games, been the Pro Football Hall of Fame presenter and voter in 2019 when Troy Polamalu won election into those hallowed grounds and have done countless stories of which I will forever be proud. My piece on Polamalu after his election to the Hall of Fame remains the top-read story on this site in its history.
I've also grown to love the back-and-forth we have here with the readers, many of whom I've met over the years. You are what makes this a special place. And that won't change.
Chris Halicke will take over as the Steelers beat reporter on this site. And he'll have excellent help backing him up with Matt Williamson continuing to provide insight into the team along with columns from Dejan Kovacevic. The Ramon Foster Show also adds something nobody else in town has when it comes to coverage of the team. The Steelers content will continue to be top-notch. Of that I am certain.
Thanks to Dejan and Dali Kovacevic for all their help and trust they showed with me.
It's been a great run here, one I'll always recall fondly. All apologies to Harrison: 'All things must pass. None of life's strings can last. So, I must be on my way. And face another day.'
