Dekker makes NFL debut for Steelers

On the nationally televised stage of Sunday Night Football, in a city where the game is a religion, in front of a sea of black and gold and high-flying Terrible Towels, Jon Dekker '06 made his long-anticipated debut in the National Football League as a Pittsburgh Steeler last weekend.

"I've been [on Heinz Field] for preseason games, but it's not the same," Dekker said. "It's the regular season; it's Sunday Night Football, and all the guys knew this was my first one. The moment I stepped on the field — it was surreal. I think I've waited so long for this moment that I was just ready to do it. Being out there, running through that tunnel onto the field — that was it, right there."

Dekker's triumphant moment became reality when he was promoted from the Steelers' practice squad to the 53-man active roster last week. He took the spot of starting fullback Dan Kreider, who suffered a torn ACL during Pittsburgh's sloppy 3-0 victory over the Miami Dolphins last week. Interestingly, Kreider's career started similarly nearly eight years ago, when he was called up from the taxi squad in the middle of his rookie season to replace an injured teammate. Kreider's season-ending injury will most likely end his career in Pittsburgh, as his contract expires after this season.

Dekker feared that his chance to be welcomed into Steeler Nation might never come. In mid-November, tight end Jerame Tuman was placed on the injured reserve list after missing four games due to a back injury. Instead of calling up Dekker, the Steelers used left tackle Max Starks to fill the hole. But when Kreider went down two weeks later, Dekker received the go-ahead and was slotted as the Steelers' third tight end.

Picked up by Pittsburgh after after graduation, Dekker has spent the last two seasons on the practice squad, working hard to transform himself into a well-rounded player capable of competing as both a tight end and a fullback. Dekker attributes the Pittsburgh organization for his evolution as a player, and he has focused on improving catching and blocking techniques. What he has developed most, however, is a greater sense of confidence in his abilities. The increased self-assurance eliminated nerves and allowed Dekker to contribute to the Steelers' 24-10 victory against the Cincinnati Bengals.

For Dekker, the two most important fans present in Sunday night's crowd of 58,842 were his parents, who have unwaveringly supported their son's football endeavors throughout his childhood, his days at Princeton and his time in the pros. In the few days after the announcement, Dekker was flooded with congratulatory phone calls, but the most important conversation he had about the good news was with them.

"It was a great moment," Dekker said. "Both my parents said they'll never forget that phone call."

Sunday night's game was not only a personal milestone in Dekker's life, it was also a historic moment for the Steelers as veteran wide receiver Hines Ward caught his 64th career touchdown pass to replace John Stallworth in the franchise record books. The significance of the catch didn't hit Dekker until Monday morning, when he received an email from a Princeton friend who made sure Dekker understood how momentous it was that he shared an end zone with Ward after his record-breaking catch.

It was the prospect of experiencing moments like this that Dekker had been waiting for ever since he was picked up by the Steelers. Though the differences between college and pro ball have become more apparent to him during his first two seasons, nothing has deterred his love for the game.

"After being on the field [Sunday] night," Dekker said, "it's still a dream come true. I definitely think that over the past year I've seen the business side of [football], but it's still a blessing being able to play this game for your profession."

Now that he has made his league debut, Dekker looks forward to the rest of the Steelers' season and the potential of making the playoffs. With the win over Cincinnati, the Steelers improved to 9-3 and claimed a two-game lead over the Cleveland Browns in the AFC North.

"I think we have a great opportunity to get into the playoffs," Dekker said. "Obviously we want to be the highest seed we can be, so I think it's important that we take care of business the last four games ... and put ourselves in a position where we can get as many games at Heinz Field in the playoffs as possible."