The Pittsburgh Steelers had a chance to have a great season in 2024. At one point, the group was 10-3, had a firm lead in the AFC North, and had a chance to secure the one-seed in the AFC. Obviously that did not happen, as the team finished the season 10-7 and then lost their Wild Card game to the Baltimore Ravens. This was Pittsburgh's sixth consecutive postseason loss, and it marks the eighth straight season that the organization has not advanced in the playoffs.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Russell Wilson slides during a loss to the Baltimore Ravens in 2024.
The Steelers had to travel to Baltimore to play the Ravens for their playoff game, which is the first time that was the case in the history of the franchise. Playing on the road is always difficult, especially during a night game in the NFL playoffs. The game was never really close, Baltimore killed the Steelers from the opening drive and on. The Steelers made it a little respectable in the second half, but overall the game was embarrassing. Cam Heyward spoke about this on his podcast, Not Just Football, and he shared that the Ravens had some cheap tricks for the Steelers the morning of the game.
"You forget like, when we played in New England, they pulled the fire alarm on us," Heyward said. "It happened when we were in the playoffs. Shoot, even this time I got an alarm wake up call at 5:30 in the morning. That was in Baltimore. I had an alarm clock that went off at 5:30 in the morning, and I couldn't figure out why it was set in the first place. The hotel is totally in on it. I don't know if the Ravens did it, but like it's definitely possible."
Pittsburgh slept in a hotel in Baltimore the night before their playoff game against the Ravens, and usually NFL teams will rent out multiple floors entirely. Heyward mentioned his alarm clock was set to 5:30 in the morning, and it probably happened to other players as well. Hotel workers could have done this, or the Ravens could have also been involved.
AP
Steelers' Cam Heyward attempting to sack former Patriots QB Tom Brady.
Heyward also mentioned that this isn't the first time something like this has happened the night before a big game. The Steelers had to travel to play the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game at the end of the 2016 season, and the fire alarm in the hotel went off in the middle of the night. This was likely obviously the Patriots trying to get an advantage, as that organization has a history of bending the rules in suspicious ways.
The Steelers definitely looked like a team that had their sleep interrupted during their loss to the Patriots, and they looked that way again against Baltimore. Neither game was necessarily close, and that 2016 postseason was the last time a playoff game was won by the Steelers.
Alysa Rubin / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers' Mike Tomlin and Cam Heyward ahead of a 2024 clash with the Baltimore Ravens.
Steelers Players Have To Be Careful When On The Road
Steelers players, and all players around the NFL, have to be extremely careful when they are traveling. The team obviously has security, but even players have to take some extra precautions to make sure they stay safe. Heyward shared that he has to use fake names when ordering delivery food because he doesn't want some restaurant in Baltimore to slip something in his food to make him sick. This is what happened to Michael Jordan ahead of his infamous Flu Game, when he really just had food poisoning.
What the Ravens and Patriots likely did should certainly be frowned upon, but this type of thing happens all throughout the NFL. Every team is always looking for ways to take an advantage going into a contest, especially one in the playoffs. The Steelers might even do something similar if they ever get to host a playoff game again.
What do you think about the Ravens’ tactics the morning of the playoff game? Let us know in the comments below!
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