Pittsburgh Steelers fans are known for their passion and loyalty. They are also known to travel very well, packing stadiums all over the United States. But former offensive guard Ramon Foster has a bit of a bone to pick with fans and a plea for the 2023 season.
Jason Behnken | AP
Pittsburgh Steelers fans travel better than any other NFL team, packing the stadiums in other cities, as they did here in Arizona against the Cardinals.
The Steelers really found success as a franchise in the 1970s playing at Three Rivers Stadium. During the 30 years it was the home to the Steelers and the baseball team, the Pittsburgh Pirates, it was known for being a loud and raucous place. Shaped like a bowl, it tended to hold the noise in and make the chants and screams reverberate all around.
In 2001, the Steelers moved to their new stadium, Heinz Field (now Acrisure Stadium), and Three Rivers was imploded. There are those who say the crowd noise at the new stadium is much different than at the old stadium. Some say it is the design, Heinz was built differently than Three Rivers with one end open out onto the river. Maybe the sound escapes?
There are those who say that the crowd changed when the stadium changed. That the fans who were die-hard and loud at Three Rivers were priced out of Heinz and don't attend. The new crowd is more into being "seen" than being "heard."
The Steelers, along with the whole NFL, have also gone through some ups and downs in the past few seasons. Not only did COVID keep fans out of stadiums, it hurt many ticket buyers financially and a lot of people are still trying to recover. This, along with the wind-down of Ben Roethlisberger as quarterback, may have impacted attendance. It used to be that you rarely saw a fan of an opposing team.
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Three Rivers Stadium bore witness to a number of great Steelers moments.
Regardless of the reason, there are those who maintain the crowd noise level has changed. Foster wants to remind fans that the concept of being the "12th man" on the field is a real thing and the Steelers need everyone to show up Week 1.
Steelers' Ramon Foster Said Pittsburgh Fans Need To Bring The Noise Week 1
Foster now co-hosts a podcast with reporter Dejan Kovacevic called The Ramon Foster Show, which airs on DK Pittsburgh Sports. On a recent episode, Foster was asked about the true impact the crowd makes on a game. While players are able to block out quite a bit, having the stadium working in your favor is a huge advantage. He wishes that Steelers fans would do it consistently, especially at Acrisure.
Playing for Pittsburgh primarily during the 2010s, Foster was signed as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2009 out of the University of Tennessee. Foster was a member of some of the best offensive lines the Steelers have had and even helped them make their way to the Super Bowl in 2010.
During the time Foster was on the Steelers, the New England Patriots had to be their biggest non-division rival. The Patriots led by Tom Brady, dominated the entire NFL for what felt like forever. The Steelers, and everyone else in the AFC, always seemed to have to go through Foxboro if they were going to advance in the playoffs.
Matt Freed / Post-Gazette
Steelers' David DeCastro, Maurkice Pouncey, and Ramon Foster were an integral part of some excellent Pittsburgh offensive lines.
Foster said that one of the things that really helped the Patriots have that level of success was the 12th man mentality at their stadium. Perhaps it was because New England was running the NFL at that time, but their fans showed up in droves. It seemed like tickets into Foxboro were hard to get with season ticket holders not willing to sell to any non-Patriot fans.
"Us going to New England, that was a hard life to live going up there."
With Week 1 of the 2023 season looming, Foster mentioned he has high hopes for Steelers fans. They are set to play the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, September 10th in Pittsburgh at Acrisure Stadium. Foster hopes Steelers fans both turn out and turn up.
"We need to make Acrisure Stadium that toxic. It is, but as a player, sometimes we will sit back and be like, 'Okay, y'all gonna go or are we spoiled?' Honestly, as a player some days, I would get going, momentum is right, but the level of being toxic (shakes head sadly) the entire game when teams like the Patriots, the 49ers for a season opener, make them hate it," implores Foster.
Kovacevic, who attends every game, said he is expecting a big turnout for the home opener. He said he was shocked by how packed Acrisure was for the Buffalo Bills preseason game. He said season ticket holders usually give away or sell preseason tickets, but not this time.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers rookie Darnell Washington (#80) makes a block against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
According to Kovacevic, fans were so excited by what they had been seeing from the team when they played the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that they carried it back to Pittsburgh. He doesn't think that excitement will die down anytime soon.
"For the regular season, I am expecting to see something that we haven't seen in a while in Pittsburgh."
Foster finished with a plea to Steelers fans. He hopes they will come out and make the atmosphere unhospitable to any 49ers fans that might be in attendance, as well as create a disruption for the San Francisco players on the field.
"I would ask if you're going to this 49ers game, make it uncomfortable. Make them play Renegade three or four times, you know what I'm saying? Like I want players that actually have Styx on their freaking playlist to erase it off of it."
Did you ever attend games at Three Rivers? Do you see a difference between the crowds in it versus Heinz/Acrisure? Are you planning to go to the season opener? Click to comment below!
#SteelerNation
