The Pittsburgh Steelers’ 35-25 loss to the Green Bay Packers was disappointing. Not only did they lose, but they showed little fight in the second half. To add insult to injury, Packers fans took over Acrisure Stadium. It isn’t often that opposing fans show up in such force in Pittsburgh. Former Steelers offensive coordinator Bruce Arians wasn’t happy seeing that.
“There was one thing that upset me watching that game,” Arians said Tuesday on The Pat McAfee Show. “I’ve never seen the Steelers have to use a silent count at home. For the Steeler fans, that’s embarrassing. When you’ve got that many Packers fans in, I still call it Heinz Field, that’s unheard of. That was a bad sign for me.”
Arians coached for the Steelers from 2004-2011. Therefore, he was with them for some of their best years in recent memory, including both seasons that ended in Super Bowl victories. He saw just how passionate Steelers fans can be.
There might be an explanation for why there were so many Packers fans in Pittsburgh this week, though. It was Aaron Rodgers’ first game playing against the Packers. He was with them for 18 years, becoming one of the best quarterbacks of all time while in Green Bay. The Packers traded him to the Jets after the 2022 season, so this was his first time facing them.
As a result, when this game was announced, many Packers fans circled it. This could be Rodgers’ final NFL season, so for some Packers fans, the game against the Steelers could’ve been their best chance to see the future Hall of Famer.
Still, it was upsetting to see Packers fans show up and show more energy than Steelers fans. There were multiple instances where Packers chants could be heard. Like Arians says, the Steelers’ offense even needed to use a silent count at one point.
This week, the Steelers and their fans will have a chance to redeem themselves. They’re set to play the Indianapolis Colts in Pittsburgh. We’ll see if Colts fans travel as well as Packers fans did. While there’s not as big of a storyline going into that game, the Colts have the best record in the NFL. This game is going to be a serious test for the Steelers. They might need their fans to provide them with a boost.
