The Pittsburgh Steelers are taking aim at the Dawg Pound ahead of Thursday night’s primetime clash.
Ahead of Thursday night’s meeting between the AFC North rivals, Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth recalled an incident that occurred after a touchdown during his rookie season.
“Cleveland fans threw beers at my mother,” Freiermuth said. “Hey, it’s all for the love of the game. My mom enjoyed it, no hard feelings.”
Asked whether she wears a poncho now when she goes to games, Freiermuth offered a blunt response.
“She doesn’t go,” he said.
Steelers linebacker Patrick Queen also had a few choice words for Cleveland’s crowd.
“They got a great fan base,” Queen said. “They throw all kinds of stuff and say all kinds of things. But that’s why you go to games and love this division.”
The Steelers will get another dose of that environment Thursday at Huntington Bank Field, with both teams bringing 2-1 records into the matchup.
Todd Monken Turns Steelers Jab Into Rallying Cry
The Browns have already turned one Steelers jab into a rallying cry under Todd Monken. Former Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin, now an analyst for NBC’s “Football Night in America,” revived a familiar insult after Cleveland’s 34-10 season-opening loss to Jacksonville.
“In the words of my friend JuJu Smith-Schuster, the Browns is the Browns,” Tomlin said.
Smith-Schuster originally used the line before the January 2021 playoff matchup. Cleveland responded by beating Pittsburgh 48-37. Monken made clear that the message had reached his locker room after Cleveland beat Tampa Bay 23-19 for his first victory as an NFL head coach.
“Browns are gonna Browns — (expletive) that, OK?” Monken said after the win. “The guys took that to heart.”
The outburst came after the Browns endured a two-hour lightning delay to finish off the Buccaneers. Monken had his first win and an emphatic response to the idea that Cleveland was headed for more of the same.
Tomlin later laughed off the response, joking that his move to television allowed him to stir things up without answering for it on the sideline.
“I can still provide bulletin board material with no personal consequence,” Tomlin said.
Browns Bring Momentum Into Steelers Matchup
Cleveland gave its home crowd something to celebrate Sunday, rallying for a 21-18 victory against the Carolina Panthers.
Deshaun Watson completed 16 of 30 passes for 144 yards and two touchdowns, both to Harold Fannin Jr. His late touchdown pass to Fannin put Cleveland ahead, and a two-point completion to Denzel Boston stretched the lead to three.
The win was Cleveland’s second straight, giving Todd Monken’s team an opportunity to move to 3-1 with a victory over Pittsburgh.
The Steelers also enter with momentum after beating the Cincinnati Bengals 30-27 on Sunday. All four AFC North teams are 2-1, giving Thursday’s winner sole possession of first place heading into the weekend.
Steelers Take Shot at Browns Ahead of Primetime Clash