Jason Mackey: Mason Rudolph and Miles Killebrew made a personal choice, but politics and sports will never mix easily

Mason Rudolph seemed to sense it was coming like a defensive back blitzing off the edge. He and Miles Killebrew have also taken a beating since attending a Donald Trump rally in West Mifflin along with Steelers legend Rocky Bleier on Friday. Is that unfair? Tough to say, but it's something I tried to explore a little more. My first question to Rudolph was how and why he wound up at the event, which was held at U.S. Steel's Irvin Works to announce a deal with Nippon Steel that Trump claimed will create at least 70,000 jobs and add $14 billion to the economy. "I've got a lifelong friend who works in D.C. and invited me," Rudolph told me after the team's fourth session of organized team activities at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. "It was a pretty incredible opportunity to meet literally guys who make steel. "I had never been to a steel mill before. It was pretty impressive. Sounds like a great, new investment. It's gonna help to create jobs and bolster the Pittsburgh economy. It was a fun experience." If only it were that simple. Rudolph, Killebrew and Bleier attending the rally infuriated plenty of Steelers fans, enough that the team emailed season-ticket holders over the weekend to remind them that players are allowed to operate independently of their employer, that their views don't reflect those of the organization. Let's also not kid ourselves: Fans got mad because it's Trump. We're not having this conversation if it was Sen. Dave McCormick, R-Pa. Yet here we are, a Steelers quarterback at the center of a political maelstrom, and it's not Aaron Rodgers. Didn't have that one on the Bingo card. The whole thing has sparked debate on both sides, and I'm no different. Is it a story? Is this stupid? Should Rudolph, Killebrew, Bleier and even yours truly just stick to sports? Where it settles for me: To each their own, but there are unavoidable consequences. It's also just ... awkward, the thoughts and emotions here tough to untangle. Let's start, though, with the choice. Rudolph knew a guy and invited Killebrew. They both cared enough about the cause, the president or the spectacle to attend, the same as Bleier. There's nothing wrong with that. They're allowed to attend rallies for whichever party they support. It's the beauty of our country. You're also free to disagree with their decisions. After chatting with Rudolph, I approached Killebrew with the same line of questioning and asked what he'd say to anyone upset by their attendance at the rally. "Me and my friends growing up, we either wanted to be president or get a chance to meet him," Killebrew said. (Friday) I got the chance to meet the sitting U.S. president. I'm not apologetic about that. "I'll be able to sit down with my kids when they're learning about the president and say, 'Hey, Dad met that guy.' For anybody who thinks that's a bad thing, to be honest, I couldn't care less." Killebrew's not wrong. I was at the White House for two Penguins celebrations (Barack Obama and Trump), and the same as Killebrew, it's absolutely something I've talked about with my boys. I also understand those who don't want to go, whether that's because of political disagreements or simply not liking the person in office. It's a free country. Do what you feel is right. But again, it's never that simple. Rudolph, Killebrew and Bleier attending the rally might've looked or felt like a basic act to them. To others, however, it was far bigger. Their presence inherently chose a side. It could forever change how people think about them, as well as the Steelers. The whole thing widens our political chasm, unfortunately by disrupting one of the few things capable of uniting Democrats and Republics. This is a team we can complain about loving the mushy middle, one that sometimes seems allergic to smart clock management and one that waits too damn long for Rodgers. Those folks, our civic passion, inadvertently stepped on a hornet's nest of polarizing politics. I also asked Rudolph if he was surprised by the stir their presence created. "There's backlash every day," Rudolph said. "You look on social media, there's constant ... that's the nature of social media. That's why America is so great. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Speech is free. Par for the course." The course these days, especially when it veers into politics, might be tougher than Oakmont, which is another reason why I typically try to avoid such conversation topics in my writing or on the radio. That and the fact that I'm too damn competitive to alienate half of my audience. But as I kicked this topic around Tuesday with one of my colleagues, Christopher Carter, I also began to question my approach. Carter referenced the long history of athletes who refused to stick to sports: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jackie Robinson, Muhammad Ali and others previously, plus LeBron James' present-day work representing and advocating for the Black community. That's not a comprehensive list, nor am I saying Rudolph and Killebrew belong in this category. They'd be the first to tell you that they don't. My point: It's impossible to tell an athlete to speak if you like the result and shush it if you don't. The latter is then compounded with social media and 20-minute news cycles. Given the size of NFL rosters, we're also bound to see different political leanings. The bottom line is Rudolph, Killebrew and Bleier attending the rally was their right, the same as it remans the right of any fan who disagrees to sell their tickets, vote with their dollar or otherwise (respectfully) voice their displeasure. But the team doesn't control how players feel about politics and never will. The only thing they can do now should be obvious: Just sign Rodgers already and try to tamp down all this controversy. Kidding. I think. "Mason invited me and said we'd have a chance to meet the sitting U.S. president," Killebrew said. "I said, 'Yeah, man. Let's do it.' "We were there, supporting the deal that was getting done that's gonna send a lot of money here locally for steelworkers. I was like, 'Man, what a great cause.' I showed up. I thought it was great. I thought it was a great deal, a great investment in the area, got to meet the president. It was cool. I'm glad he invited me."