Fight Between Steelers Teammates On The Field Could Have Been For An Interesting Reason

The Pittsburgh Steelers lost in their Week 12 contest against the Chicago Bears 31-28. It was a game marked by adversity for Pittsburgh, as they had to play without Aaron Rodgers. Mason Rudolph stepped in as the backup quarterback and did a decent job managing the offense, but it was not enough to lead the Steelers to a second-half victory. The offense struggled to find consistency, and key opportunities were missed at critical moments.

One such moment came when Connor Heyward was stopped on the first tush push attempt on fourth down, leaving points on the field. The play quickly sparked debate, as Kenneth Gainwell and Heyward were seen exchanging words on the field in a heated discussion after the play. The incident highlighted both the tension in the moment and the challenges Pittsburgh faced trying to execute in a high-pressure situation.

Former Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger shared his thoughts on the situation during his podcast Footbahlin on Tuesday night. Roethlisberger offered a few different theories about what went wrong on the first tush push, analyzing both the play and the players’ interactions. Ultimately, he admitted he wasn’t 100 percent certain why the play failed, leaving fans to continue debating the moment and how it impacted the second tush push that almost went for a touchdown by Gainwell.

"The second thing I noticed, which is interesting, is after that play, you noticed Connor Heyward and Gainwell," Roethlisberger said while speaking on his podcast on Tuesday night. "Arguing may not be the best word, but you could tell there was some heated exchange of some sort... it looked like something was off... then you watch the tush push later in the game and he hands it to Gainwell and he almost scores a touchdown."

Back when Roethlisberger was leading the Steelers to victories, he remembers some trick plays where players would fake fights with teammates or pull something similar to set up a play later in the game. 

He wasn’t guaranteeing that’s what happened between Heyward and Gainwell, but he certainly doesn’t want to rule it out.

"I went back to the first play and thought, 'OK, was that play supposed to happen first?'" Roethlisberger said. "Or were they like acting it up real good. We did that before, you know, just playing along with it... very interesting you watch those two at the end of the first one and then the second time it happens. It happened so slow, the first one, I was like, why are they not going right away?"

Steelers' Kenneth Gainwell Almost Goes The Distance

The second tush push resulted in a 55-yard explosion by Gainwell, showcasing his speed and vision, but he couldn’t find the end zone. 

Ultimately, the Steelers fell to 6-5 on the 2025 season after this disappointing loss, a game that could have shifted momentum in their favor. 

The defeat also cost them their lead in the AFC North, leaving the division race wide open. With key matchups still ahead, Pittsburgh will need to tighten up both their offense and defense. The team’s resilience will be tested as they look to regain their footing and keep playoff hopes alive. Every game from here on out becomes critical.

After hearing Big Ben’s thoughts on the tush push and the heated back-and-forth between Kenneth Gainwell and Connor Heyward, what do you make of it? Let us know in the comments below! Please feel free to share your Steelers takes with me on X @anthonyghalkias and follow me. I will respond!

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