The jumbotron fades to black, the terrible towels wave and the drums pound; it's a moment that Pittsburgh Steelers fans know all too well. It's not just a home-field advantage. When Renegade comes on, it's a whole different ballpark. Renegade, released by Styx in 1978, is not the song you might expect when attending a sporting event, but it's become a staple in Pittsburgh.
Steelers.com
It started back in January of 2003 when the Cleveland Browns were leading 17-7 at the half in a must-win, playoff competition. Following the half, the Browns extended the lead 24-7. The Steelers had lost all momentum and the crowd was lacking energy. With all hope lost, the media team attempted to keep the crowd alive by playing Renegade, a suggestion coming from the Mike Marchinsky of the Steelers' marketing team. No one anticipated what would follow.
The song brought life back to Heinz Field, and the energy was contagious. The Steelers responded with a defensive stop followed by a 66-yard drive by Tommy Maddox, bringing the score to 24-14. The black and gold brought home a 36-33 victory and kicked the Browns out of the playoffs. Just like that, a tradition was born.
Associated Press
Ben Roethlisberger: A Renegade Expert
No one is more familiar with the tradition than the former Steelers' quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger. On his podcast, Footbahlin With Ben Roethlisberger, the signal-caller elaborated on the true impact that the song had on not just the Steelers, but other AFC North teams. Roethlisberger explained that the song would have such a negative impact on the Baltimore Ravens, that they had to prepare for it by listening to it in practice.
"Certain teams that came in here more often, what they started doing is they would play it at practice and they were instructed at practice, when it comes on, to get towels and jump around."
Matthew Sunday
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7)
The Ravens aren't the only AFC North team who builds Renegade into their week of practice leading up to the Steelers. During the 2022 season, the Cincinnati Bengals prepared for the Week 11 contest by blasting the song throughout the locker room and at team meetings. Bengals safety Jessie Bates spoke on the matter.
"All you hear is the Renegade song they play in the fourth quarter," Bates said. "All you hear is that blaring in our team meeting. So we know what week it is."
Does Science Back The Phenomenon?
Renegade has become a staple in Pittsburgh. When in need of a spark, "why haven't they played it yet?" can be heard throughout Acrisure Stadium. Head coach Mike Tomlin has even allegedly requested the song before. Students out of Pittsburgh's Point Park University conducted a study on the impact of the song. Over 54 home games spanning from 2014 through 2021, data was collected.
"The Steelers maintained a lead in 33 games (61.1%) and came from behind to win or tie in six games (11.1%); they lost the lead in eight games (14.8%) and continued losing in seven games (13.0%). Opposing teams were seven times more likely to fumble on the very next play, or 7% of the time."
The Steelers have never been shy of a come-from-behind victory. Roethlisberger finished his career as the third of all time in fourth-quarter comeback drives, only behind Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. Quarterback Kenny Pickett has a knack for this as well, as he led multiple game-winning drives throughout his rookie season. When the stakes are high, the fans rely on Renegade to bring the energy.
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