Steelers' Beanie Bishop Jr. Fires Back After Controversial Actions

The Pittsburgh Steelers fan base is very interesting as their team is located right beside where the University of Pittsburgh is. That means there’s a good portion of the fan base that also supports the Pitt Panthers, creating a strong hometown connection. However, the Steelers are also located very close to West Virginia University, home of the Mountaineers. These two schools have one of the most intense and long-standing rivalries in college football, and that rivalry often carries over into the fan base of the city's NFL team.

The Backyard Brawl between Pitt and WVU is one of the most passionate rivalries in the sport. Emotions run deep, and fans from both sides never miss a chance to show pride for their school. That’s why former Mountaineer safety Beanie Bishop Jr. sparked controversy when a video went viral showing him rubbing his football cleats on the Pitt Panthers logo inside their locker room. WVU fans saw it as a bold and proud gesture, while Pitt fans were furious and viewed it as a sign of disrespect.

Bishop spoke to Joe Rutter of Trib Live about his actions and offered an explanation. He said it was not meant as a personal insult but rather a display of competitive energy and school pride. 

"It’s a rivalry," Bishop said. "People aren’t going to like me based off what school I went to, and that’s fine. It’s part of the rivalry. We don’t like them guys. They don’t like us. It was fun. I didn’t have no liking for those guys over there. It’s part of it. I got some guys I am cool with that I train with who went to Pitt. It was toward them a little bit. They talk mess to me, and I talk mess to them."

Even with that explanation, many Panthers fans remained upset, while Mountaineer supporters continued to praise the move. 

The incident is a reminder of how college football rivalries can influence the culture around professional teams like the Steelers, especially in a city where fan loyalties are often divided.

"It’s self-explanatory," Bishop said. "If you go and ask them, they probably hate me. Do I care? No, not really. That’s just part of it. If you ask any fan in Baltimore what they think about the Steelers, they hate us. It is what it is. It’s part of the rivalry. I’m only concerned about the Pittsburgh Steelers fans and the West Virginia fans in that instance."

Some Panthers fans were quick to point out that Bishop only played one season at West Virginia. He started his college career at Western Kentucky, then transferred to Minnesota before finishing in 2023 with the Mountaineers. 

Even though his time at WVU was brief, the rivalry clearly meant something to him. Bishop said the video was just a lighthearted way to troll his friends on the Panthers team and not meant to be taken too seriously.

Steelers Fans Aren't All Pitt Fans

Bishop didn’t feel the need to apologize, and that decision added to the frustration for some Panthers fans. Steelers fans who also support the Panthers had every right to be upset, especially when the moment felt personal. Still, it was meant to be playful rather than malicious. The video was more of a rivalry-fueled joke than a cruel gesture, and Bishop insisted his intentions were never to truly offend anyone.

What makes the whole situation more interesting is how it played out among Steelers fans. In a city where loyalties to the Panthers and the Mountaineers often overlap, reactions were mixed. Some saw it as a harmless joke, while others took it more seriously. Either way, it shows how college football rivalries can carry over into the NFL world and how deeply fans care about their teams on every level.

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