The wild-card weekend’s last game brings a face-off between two heavyweights this Monday. The Pittsburgh Steelers will host the Houston Texans at Acrisure Stadium, but the tension goes beyond football. The battle for bragging rights between Houston and Pittsburgh has officially spilled off the field, as city leaders have entered a public wager ahead of Monday’s wild-card showdown.

While both teams gear up to lock horns on January 12, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato made a playful wager. Hidalgo roots for the Texans, while Innamorato proudly sides with the Steelers. So, what exactly is at stake? The two leaders kept the wager simple and fun. 

If DeMeco Ryans’ team wins, Innamorato will have to sport Texans merchandise and send any Pittsburgh-themed outfit to her opponent. If it goes the other way, Hidalgo must suit up in black and gold and send a NASA jacket to Pittsburgh.

In their messages addressing each other, both leaders sounded super confident. 

“I’m glad that County Executive Innamorato is brave enough for a bet, but I know that we’re going to win. Go Texans!” Hidalgo said.

Meanwhile, Innamorato is “excited” to host the Texans this weekend. Highlighting how Mike Tomlin’s team edged out the Ravens in Week 18, she believes her team is ready for any challenges coming their way. 

“I’m confident Judge Hidalgo will enjoy wearing some black and gold in the near future,” she said. 

The rivalry makes sense, not just because of both teams’ history but also how things have turned out this season. The Steelers were the last to punch ‌their playoff ticket, and it was mostly Tyler Loop’s missed field goal that made it happen. Their shaky season enraged fans and critics and even led them to question Tomlin’s leadership.

While the Steelers’ path to the playoffs was a nail-biter, the Texans’ journey was a testament to their dominance. Despite facing tough divisional rivals, such as the Jacksonville Jaguars and Indianapolis Colts, Houston finished with a strong 12-5 record, powered by the league’s top-ranked defense, setting the stage for a classic offense vs. defense showdown. Both teams had it tough, making this the perfect moment to write their success story.

Meanwhile, as the politicians add some local flavor to the rivalry, fans watching from home are getting their own game-changing news, with NBCUniversal announcing a significant upgrade for the Peacock broadcast.

Peacock’s new upgrade gives control to the Steelers fans

The Steelers fans who catch the NFL action on Peacock are in for a tailor-made experience. NBCUniversal executive David Bohunek revealed at the CES tech show this week that the streaming platform will provide customized audio options to its customers.

“We can let the customers do what they prefer with a very simple control in our own [user interface],” he explained via Sports Business Journal. “And maybe let them turn off commentary completely if that’s what they want.”

Now, fans will be able to fine-tune their audio mix. It means they can mute commentators while increasing the natural sounds of the game coming from the field or stands. This upgrade is a small step in Peacock’s plan to integrate Dolby technology into its broadcasts. This upgrade will ensure better picture quality, enhanced colors, and high-quality sound by filtering out external noise.

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Bohunek believes the addition of Dolby Vision and advanced audio tools will improve their existing technology to a whole new level. Currently, the feature is available only on streaming services and not traditional TV broadcasts. According to Dolby executive John Couling, the streaming technology offers more flexibility and adopts innovations faster than traditional broadcasting.

The personalized audio option will be available this summer with Peacock’s Spanish-language World Cup coverage. Then it will make its way to major sports leagues in the country, such as the NFL, NBA, and MLB.