The Pittsburgh Penguins may have exited the playoff stage, but their leader, Sidney Crosby, still managed to steal the spotlight on a different kind of field on Wednesday night. At Pat McAfee’s Big Night AHT show, Crosby showed he’s got game off the ice too, nailing a football throw that added a cool $1 million to the prize pot. The challenge was simple: send a football through a sizable 10-by-10-foot hoop hanging from the ceiling.
Pat McAfee captured the moment, releasing it on X for all to see and celebrate.
In a display of local sporting talent, Crosby joined former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and current Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes in the event's throwing lineup. First up was Skenes, who missed his initial attempt and a follow-up for $500,000.
Crosby followed, and the roar from the crowd was deafening as he effortlessly sank his throw on the first attempt, drawing chants of "MVP" from the audience. Roethlisberger also managed to hit the target.
By the end, the duo of Crosby and Roethlisberger had successfully added $2 million to the pool, with a lucky fan ultimately taking home the prize.
Joining in on the evening's festivities, fellow Penguins stars Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang made their way onto the stage to celebrate with Crosby, who shared handshakes and heartfelt hugs with his teammates after his football triumph.
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Even off the ice, Crosby entertained with a brief exchange with McAfee. The host couldn’t help but ask the Penguins' captain about his land sports background, curious if Crosby’s footwork extends beyond the rink.
"Sidney, dazzling on ice as you are, did you dabble in any land sports growing up?" McAfee probed.
Crosby, ever humble, admitted, "Just a bit of football. But it's been a long, long time."
McAfee, not one to miss an opportunity, inquired further about Crosby’s comfort level with a pigskin in his hands, to which Crosby replied, "I have no idea what to expect, to be honest with you."
Their exchange highlighted not just Crosby’s sporting prowess but his down-to-earth persona, endearing him further to fans across different sports.
In the closing days of March, McAfee took the chance to heap on the praise for Crosby during an episode of The Pat McAfee Show, drawing parallels between the hockey great and basketball icon LeBron James. McAfee was quick to note Crosby’s two-decade-long excellence, reminiscent of LeBron's illustrious career.
"This man was hyped up to be the LeBron James of hockey, coming out of Canada," McAfee noted, "and all he's done is committed fully to hockey, fully for the Pittsburgh Penguins." With twenty seasons under his belt, Crosby’s performance has mirrored those lofty expectations, consistently averaging at least a point per game.
And speaking of points, Crosby’s stats this season are looking sharp with 31 goals and 56 assists, bringing his total to 87 points. Crosby continues to show why he’s not just an ice legend but a sports icon, rightfully called "the LeBron James of hockey."
