Disney assigns Pete as official character pairing for Pittsburgh Steelers

Disney selected the villainous cat Pete to represent the Pittsburgh Steelers as part of a new NFL character collection. The company paired all 32 league teams with specific characters from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, or Star Wars properties. Officials at Disney stated that the selection of Pete reflects the physical, blue-collar, and smash-mouth identity traditionally associated with the Pittsburgh franchise. The announcement prompted varied reactions from fans, with some supporting the alignment with the city's work ethic and others preferring a more heroic figure. Bret Healey, director of graphic design at Disney Consumer Products, noted that the debate surrounding the team associations is part of the project's intent. This character pairing precedes the start of the upcoming NFL season.

• 2:55 PMYahoo Sports — Disney thinks Pete is perfect match for Steelers; fans aren't sure