<div><p>When celebrities go to photo shoots, more often than not they just come home with a pay check and maybe a goody bag. </p><p>But for Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker, Tyler Matakevich, he came home with a puppy. </p><p>The NFL star was at a photo shoot for the anti-animal cruelty campaign, Show Your Soft Side, which features famous athletes and super cute animals...what more do you need?</p><p>Matakevich has always been a dog lover, and he knew that he would adopt a puppy at some point, but he didn't know it would be at this shoot. </p><div><figure><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/Matakevich01_vs_Eagles_08182016.jpg" srcset="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/Matakevich01_vs_Eagles_08182016_GH_content_550px.jpg 550w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/Matakevich01_vs_Eagles_08182016_GH_content_650px.jpg 650w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/Matakevich01_vs_Eagles_08182016_GH_content_750px.jpg 750w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/Matakevich01_vs_Eagles_08182016_GH_content_850px.jpg 850w" sizes="89vw" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img><figcaption class="op-vertical-center"><cite>Pittsburgh Steelers</cite></figcaption></figure></div><p><!-- [invalid-shortcode] --></p><p>Matakevich showed up to the photo shoot and was paired up with Jerrica, a little black puppy. Jerrica immediately fell asleep in Matakevich's arms, and the linebacker fell in love. </p><div><figure><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/980x-49.jpg" srcset="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/980x-49_GH_content_550px.jpg 550w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/980x-49_GH_content_650px.jpg 650w" sizes="89vw" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img><figcaption class="op-vertical-center"><cite>Show Your Soft Side</cite></figcaption></figure></div><p>"It felt like they set me up," Matakevich <a href="https://www.thedodo.com/tyler-matakevich-adopts-puppy-2344448567.html">said</a>. "I knew right away."</p><p>"You have an NFL Player who could easily purchase any dog he'd possibly desire. He chose a mixed-breed pup," says Renee Martini, the founder of Renee's Rescue, where Jerrica came from. "Talk about a class act! Such a win for the animals."</p><div><figure><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/980x-13.png" srcset="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/980x-13_GH_content_550px.png 550w" sizes="89vw" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img><figcaption class="op-vertical-center"><cite>Show Your Soft Side</cite></figcaption></figure></div><p><!-- [invalid-shortcode] --></p><p>Jerrica, now renamed Bailey, was a surprise for both Tyler and his girlfriend Shannon, but everyone seems pretty excited about the new addition. </p><div><figure><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/980x-50.jpg" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img><figcaption class="op-vertical-center"><cite>Show Your Soft Side</cite></figcaption></figure></div><p>"This is so unexpected," Matakevich says. "It's awesome. She's just such a good dog."</p><p>The NFL star brags about how smart and well-trained Bailey already is, and says she's having a great time pestering the couple's older dog as well. </p><div><figure><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/04/980x-14.png" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img><figcaption class="op-vertical-center"><cite>Show Your Soft Side</cite></figcaption></figure></div><p><!-- [invalid-shortcode] --></p><p>See? Even millionaire athletes know to adopt, not shop!</p><div><div><div><amp-youtube height="9" width="16" layout="responsive" data-videoid="39yztn5zCpo"></amp-youtube></div></div></div><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p></div>