After another up-and-down offensive performance from the Steelers on Monday night, Pittsburgh fans rained down “Fire Canada” chants from the stands during Pittsburgh’s 26–22 victory over the visiting Browns.
The chants came late in the fourth quarter after a strange play call by offensive coordinator Matt Canada with just over three minutes to go left Kenny Pickett on the turf for a loss of three yards on a quarterback keeper. The Steelers were forced to punt, which required one last defensive stand to clinch the AFC North contest.
The chants began during the television timeout and were heard loud and clear when ESPN returned to the broadcast from commercial.
#Steelers fans chanting "FIRE CANADA" pic.twitter.com/d6nzG7AG9K
— Video from: @TSV__1 (@TSV__1) September 19, 2023
Steelers players brushed it off after the game.
“Yeah, we didn’t hear that,” Steelers center Mason Cole said, via Trib Live. “It wasn’t the plays. It was lack of execution again. For whatever reason, these last two weeks, we haven’t executed to the level we know we can. We have got to get that fixed.”
Pittsburgh tight end Pat Freiermuth echoed the sentiment.
“I mean, we just have to continue to trust the positions [Canada] puts us in. I think that’s been successful in camp, so we just have to continue to be in those positions and make plays.”
After a lopsided Week 1 defeat at the hands of the 49ers, the Steelers are in the win column despite just 255 yards of total offense on Monday. That will need to be addressed quickly by Canada and Co.—or else the losses likely will start to pile up.
The Steelers head to Las Vegas to take on the Raiders next Sunday at 8:20 p.m. ET.
