An Arlington man is headed to Super Bowl LX with his hearing dog this weekend after being named the Pittsburgh Steelers’ “Fan of the Year.”
The team chose Hayden Shock, a 33-year-old employee of the General Services Administration, as its top fan last fall. Shock, who has followed his Air Force father’s fandom since he was around six years old, will be joined at this weekend’s Super Bowl by his dad, as well as Abby, his service dog.
Shock is one of 32 honorees vying to be named the NFL’s fan of the year later this week.
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“I wasn’t just shocked,” Shock told Steelers.com. “It was profound gratitude. To be chosen to represent the Steelers organization and its fandom, it means everything.”
In November, Shock was invited to Pittsburgh’s Acrisure Stadium ahead of a game, thinking that he was the winner of pregame field passes. Instead, he received much more.
As he walked through the tunnel and entered the field, one of the stadium’s video boards read “Congratulations Hayden, 2025 Steelers Fan of the Year.”
“You have to understand, I’m 33 years old. That’s 33 years of living and breathing the Steelers,” Shock said. “It’s not just a team, it’s a part of my DNA, a story passed down.”
Shock, who is deaf due to a lifelong condition called Goldenhar syndrome, was also greeted by Steelers offensive lineman Zach Frazier, who told him — through sign language — of the honor. Frazier knows ASL because several family members are deaf or hard of hearing, according to a press release from Canine Companions, which has provided Shock with a hearing dog since he was a teenager.
“When I saw that, when I knew what was happening, the emotions just flooded me,” Shock told Steelers.com. “I stood there, this grown man, completely overwhelmed, and it was because it suddenly felt like those 33 years of unwavering loyalty were somehow being acknowledged.”
Shock grew up playing football in the backyard with his five siblings, while his mother taught him to hold a football and draw plays on his palm, according to his NFL “Fan of the Year” page.
A graduate of Gallaudet University, Shock is also a kidney transplant recipient who competes and organizes fundraisers with the Transplant Games of America. He represented the United States as a goalkeeper in the Transplant Soccer World Cup in 2024.
Shock runs a side business where he helps transplant recipients improve their wellness through nutrition and fitness.
The winner of the title of the NFL’s Fan of the Year is selected through a fan vote. Votes can be cast online until Wednesday, Feb. 4.
