Despite the Chiefs’ acquisition of Kyle Orton this week, Tyler Palko will be making the start at quarterback against the Steelers. That’s noteworthy for a player who was born in Imperial, went to West Allegheny High School, and started at QB for Pitt. Scott Brown outlines the connections between Palko and the city of Pittsburgh and the Steelers.
“At an early age, my father never let me quit anything,” said Palko. “Whether it was playing an instrument, which I was terrible at, I still had to finish the year out at it. Growing up in Pittsburgh, being tough, learning how to handle adversity, that’s all part of it.”
Palko also played for the Steelers for a couple weeks in 2009, when injuries to Ben Roethlisberger and Charlie Batch forced the team to look outside the organization for quarterback help. (He was released shortly thereafter.) Also, Palko’s brother Luke once worked for the Steelers as a scouting intern.
For more on the Steelers, check out Behind The Steel Curtain.