PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers are one of the most storied franchises in NFL history, and in the last column of one of the most historic writers sports journalism has ever had, two players received shoutouts. Those players were Cam Heyward and Charlie Batch. For the last time, fans will get to read Peter King’s Football Morning in America column, which has shaped generations of football fans. Now, he’s saying goodbye, hanging up his keyboard and announcing his semi-retirement with one final piece. “Who’s complaining? Not me. I’m the luckiest man on the face of the earth. To be a long-termer in an increasingly short-term business, to write this column for 27 years and to be a sportswriter for 44, well, that’s something I’ll always be grateful for. Truly, I’ve loved it all,” King wrote.
In his final story, King gave praise to Heyward and Batch, putting both players on his “Mr. Nice Guys” list of the best players he’s covered during his career. “His work with the needy in hardscrabble areas of Pittsburgh is inspirational. Should write a book on how players, even non-superstar players, can make a huge difference in their hometowns,” King wrote about Batch. “Genuine and thoughtful, while being a beast between the lines. He’s arranged for each male student in 11 Pittsburgh high schools—many indigent kids—to get a free suit during their high school years,” he then wrote about Heyward.
