The Pittsburgh Steelers have one of the best home-field advantages in the NFL. The fans are loud, the towels are waving, and it’s a tough place to win. That last point is especially true for the Cleveland Browns.
Thus, it was no surprise to see the Steelers pull off a dominant 27-6 win over the rival Browns on Sunday. There was just one thing missing from the win.
The Steelers did not play “Renegade” in the fourth quarter, even after the Browns listened to the Styx classic all week to prepare for the raucous environment. Insider Mark Kaboly revealed the reasoning behind the Steelers anthem not being played.
Steelers Didn’t Need a Boost
“Renegade” is played late in games when the Steelers want to pump up the crowd and make life difficult for the opposing team. Yet it simply wasn’t needed Sunday as the Steelers entered the final quarter with a comfortable 27-6 lead.
Kaboly explained how the team was planning to play the song, but just didn’t find the right time.
“SOURCE: The Steelers had every intention of playing Renegade late in the game against the Browns but a window never presented itself,” he wrote on X. “If the Browns would have gained possession before or at the 2-minute warning then it would have been played.”
The Browns fumbled on the team’s first two possessions, setting the tone of what was a lopsided game in favor of Pittsburgh.
This capped off what was a contentious week between the longtime rivals.
A Rivalry Renewed
The Browns and Steelers are historic rivals, but the former has only been a contending team a handful of times since 1999. Sunday’s battle for first place in the AFC North added some juice to the game and during the week leading up to it.
Browns defender Jared Verse was particularly vocal, calling out the Steelers for alleged dirty play. Browns head coach Todd Monken also got his team prepared by playing “Renegade” in practice throughout the week.
All the hype fell flat and the Steelers made sure to rub it in after the game.
Ultimately, the teams split the season series and continue to compete for the AFC North crown. The fact the Steelers did not even need to play “Renegade” in the win may be a sign for the Browns to do a bit less talking leading up to games the rest of the season.
Steelers Insider Explains Lack of ‘Renegade’ in Win vs. Browns