While they haven’t won a playoff game since 2016, the Pittsburgh Steelers still have a passionate fan base. That was on display many times last season. Steelers fans did a good job making Acrisure Stadium a tough environment for opponents to play in. They also did an excellent job travelling. That’s nothing new, though. It feels like Steelers fans are everywhere. Former NFL quarterback Matt Cassel recently spoke highly of Steelers fans’ devotion during his playing days.
“Pittsburgh gets loud, with the Terrible Towels,” Cassel said recently on his Lots to Say podcast. “The other part about Pittsburgh, they travel. We’ve had games in Kansas City before where there’s more than half the stadium dressed up in Steelers outfits. I’m like, ‘I thought this was a home game. What is going on right now?’”
Cassel was with the Kansas City Chiefs from 2009-12. During that time, he played the Steelers twice in Kansas City, so it’s unclear which game in particular he’s taking about. The first came in 2009, and the Chiefs won that contest but only barely. They scraped out a 27-24 win in overtime, partly because Ben Roethlisberger was forced to leave the game with an injury.
The other game was in 2011, and the Steelers came away with the win there. It was a tight, defensive battle, with Pittsburgh winning 13-9. Cassel didn’t play in that game, though, being held out with an injury.
Whatever the case, Steelers fans’ intensity has not waned over the years. They made their presence known in multiple opposing stadiums last year. That included their Week 1 game against the Atlanta Falcons. It felt like that set the tone for the year.
Unfortunately, the Steelers collapsed to end the year, so fans had less to be excited about. They did make the playoffs, but at that point, it felt like they had no chance of winning. That’s been a trend over the last few years. Many fans are frustrated over the Steelers’ lack of playoff success. Despite that, they’re still a passionate bunch, although it would be nice if they had something to cheer for in the postseason.
This year, Steelers fans will have a chance to prove that they can take over stadiums overseas. The Steelers are slated to play in the NFL’s first regular-season game in Ireland. It’s a historic occasion, and we’ll see if Steelers fans can bring that same energy to a different country.
History says they will.
