Seth Meyers’ desk will lose some valuable real estate if the Jets beat the Steelers next month—and if they lose, a member of his studio crew is getting a new tattoo.
The Late Night host has agreed to a bet hinging on the outcome of the New York Jets’ game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The teams have a longstanding rivalry, and last went head-to-head in 2022.
Meyers, whose father hails from Pittsburgh, is an outspoken Steelers fan. Just weeks ago, actor Michael Keaton—a Pittsburgh native—gifted the host with Steelers hats. And Meyers interviewed Steelers defensive tackle Cam Heyward on the show in May.
Meyers broke down the wager at the end of this week’s installment of Corrections, recounting how he was presented with the idea when cornered in an elevator by one of the show’s utility grips, Kenny Coyle.
“If the Jets win, you gotta have a mug on your desk with the final score for the rest of the football season,” Meyers quoted Coyle as saying. “And if the Steelers win, I’ll get a tattoo of the score and your signature. You can sign my arm.”
“Like that’s what I want: Kenny walking around with my signature,” Meyers joked.
Even so, Meyers was intrigued by the imbalance of risk, and took his staffer up on the offer. “Kenny’s been talking about this so long,” he said. “I was ready to make a bet with Kenny on far more agreeable terms to Kenny.”
Meyers’ desk is typically adorned with a rotation of mugs advertising local NBC affiliates from across the country who carry his show. It also features a collection of other personal trinkets, including a Stefon nesting doll and Andy Samberg as a mummy. The most recent addition was a set of LEGO minifigures depicting The 8G Band, gifted to Meyers by member Syd Butler after their departure.
The Jets vs. Steelers game happens Sunday, October 20. The Steelers have a 20-7 record against the Jets, but Meyers sounds less than hopeful about this year’s game. “I mean, I’m sure the f**king Jets are gonna win now,” he said on Corrections, “and I’m gonna have a dumb mug here.”
