Pittsburgh Steelers focus on resting up ahead of flight into uneasy France

The Steelers wrapped up their final practice on the South Side ahead of Sunday’s international game in France.The team is set to fly overseas Thursday night, and they’ll head right to practice once they land in Paris Friday morning. Players reiterated on Thursday, much like they have all week, that this is a business trip.Their main goal is to go to Paris, win a game against the Saints, and return to Pittsburgh sitting at 5-2.Multiple players said they haven’t really brought up any safety concerns themselves regarding the unrest in the city. They just want to make sure everything will be okay for any of their family members who are traveling.Channel 11 asked Pat Freiermuth if the league is doing anything specifically for the players’ families when it comes to safety. “Yeah, I mean, just keeping us informed about ways to keep track of if anything were to happen over there, some apps, communication, and if all they did a good job of meeting with us, telling us what’s going on over there,” Freiermuth said.The biggest emphasis for the players Thursday night is getting as much sleep as they can on the plane ride over to France.Some of the players said this is going to be the longest flight they’ve ever taken, and they’re going to try to get all the rest they can. Meanwhile, a weekend event for Steelers fans in Paris has been canceled because of security concerns.RELATED COVERAGE >>> Steelers fan event in Paris canceled following recent civil unrest in capitalA spokesperson from the Pittsburgh Steelers shared a statement on the cancelation, saying: “We are honored to play in the first-ever regular season NFL game in France.“The NFL, as they do for every game, including international games, is working closely with local authorities and partners on all operational and security matters. As stated by the NFL, there have been no disruptions or impacts at League sites.“As a precautionary measure, the Steelers designated bar that had been planned in Bastille – an area that has experienced recent disruptions – will not proceed.“We continue to look forward to the game versus the Saints this Sunday at the Stade de France.”Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW