In a shocking turn of events, Steelers players are rallying around embattled coach Mike Tomlin, but their message to fans is clear: “We don’t need your support
After a late-season collapse ended in a disappointing playoff loss, fans have been calling for Tomlin’s head. But players like T.J. Watt and Pat Freiermuth are having none of it.
“We all love Coach T,” Watt said. “He’s a great leader, a great coach. We need to perform better, but it’s not on him.”
Freiermuth echoed Watt’s sentiments, saying, “Coach Tomlin is not the problem. We are. We need to execute better, and we need to take responsibility for our own mistakes.”
But in a stunning twist, Freiermuth also seemed to suggest that fans are part of the problem. “We don’t need fans who are just going to criticize us and blame us for everything,” he said. “We need fans who are going to support us, no matter what.”
The comments have left fans reeling, with many taking to social media to express their outrage and disappointment.
“Are you kidding me?” tweeted @SteelersFan4Life. “We’re the ones who support you, who pay your salaries, and this is how you repay us?”
Others are calling for a boycott of Steelers games and merchandise.
“I’m done with this team,” tweeted @SteelCurtain88. “If they don’t want our support, then they don’t deserve it.”
The controversy has left the Steelers organization reeling, and it remains to be seen how this will all play out. One thing is certain, however: the Steelers’ relationship with their fans has never been more fractured.
