The Pittsburgh Steelers had some intense battles with the Cincinnati Bengals at their former home, Heinz Field. One player very familiar with the stadium is former Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson. On Friday night, the NFL made history by hosting its first game in Brazil, featuring the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers, which brought up some memories for Johnson.
AP
Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger talks with Bengals' Chad Johnson after a game.
The game got off to a slow start and was marred by penalties, with the Packers flagged 10 times and the Eagles seven, for a total of 17. What stood out most, however, was the players’ struggle with the poor field conditions. Many players slipped throughout the game, making it difficult to execute normal plays. It was frustrating to see so many missed opportunities due to players losing their footing.
With all the talk about the field conditions and players slipping, Johnson addressed it on his podcast Nightcap with Shannon Sharpe. Reflecting on Friday's game in São Paulo, Johnson was reminded of the Steelers and Heinz Field. He suggested that the Steelers purposely kept their field messy to gain a home-field advantage.
"There was only one place where I had to wear seven studs," Johnson said. "And that was when we went to Heinz Field. I think back during those days, obviously it was a running era, I think Heinz Field, they kept their field messy to keep the opposing team at a disadvantage."
Johnson had 87 catches for 1,198 yards and scored three touchdowns over 20 games against the Steelers in his career. Out of those 20 games, 10 were played at Heinz Field, lending some validity to his claims about the playing conditions. Johnson believes the Steelers intentionally messed the field up prior to games, knowing their strength at the time was their running game, which could have been aided by poor field conditions.
AP Photo / Gene J. Puskar
Heinz Field getting painted up as the grounds crew prepares for a home game.
While Johnson's theory reflects the frustrations shared by many opponents who faced the Steelers at Heinz Field, the idea that the Steelers' field management crew would intentionally sabotage their own playing surface seems far-fetched. After all, a poor field would also have affected the Steelers' own players.
During Johnson’s playing days, Heinz Field was notorious among visiting teams for its inconsistent and often treacherous natural grass surface, particularly late in the season when weather conditions further degraded the field.
Several players, including Johnson, complained that the field’s poor quality made it difficult to maintain footing and could lead to injuries. Johnson even mentioned that he had to wear special cleats to cope with the slippery, uneven playing surface, which he believed gave the Steelers a massive home-field advantage.
It's worth noting that the Steelers were known for their physical, run-heavy style of play during that era. The idea that a muddy, poorly kept field might work in their favor—slowing down faster, more pass-oriented opponents—was a common sentiment among those who struggled to gain traction at Heinz Field.
However, the notion that the organization would purposefully allow the field to deteriorate is questionable at best, especially considering that both teams had to play under the same conditions. Nonetheless, Johnson's frustration is understandable, given the challenges that visiting players often faced in Pittsburgh.
Steelers' Acrisure Stadium Also Annoys Bengals Quarterback Joe Burrow
The Steelers no longer play at Heinz Field, now called Acrisure Stadium. While their playing surface isn't perfect today, it has improved significantly, going from one of the worst in the league to one of the more respectable fields. However, if you asked the Bengals star quarterback Joe Burrow, he would tell you it's like playing on kitty litter.
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Steelers' TJ Watt sacking Bengals' Joe Burrow during a home game in Pittsburgh.
The Steelers likely didn’t intentionally mess up their field, as the injury risk to their own team would be too high. However, Johnson firmly believes they made the field difficult on purpose. It seems the Steelers were simply better adapted to their home turf than the Bengals, which might explain why Johnson felt that way.
Saquon Barkley slipped on his first rush attempt 😳
— NFL Retweet (@NFLRT) September 7, 2024
This field is terrible…
pic.twitter.com/HF5j6hstAn
Seeing star players slip and struggle to find their footing in normal weather conditions is both frustrating and concerning, as it increases the risk of injury. That’s why many fans expressed frustration on social media over the poor field conditions during Friday night's game.
Despite the subpar surface on Friday night, the Eagles and Packers still managed to combine for 63 points. It was an exciting game with two high-powered offenses, but the sloppy field was a real disappointment.
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