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Traveling Steelers fans’ noise got to Philip Rivers

By Tim Weaver

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You may have heard that fans of the Pittsburgh Steelers travel well. This week we got real live proof.

According to a report by Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune, the San Diego Chargers had to change things up at the line of scrimmage during Monday night’s game because the Steelers fans in attendance were so loud. Here’s what San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers had to say on the subject:

“There was no chance… We’re checking in and out of plays. I’m usually hoarse after those road games. I’m going to be today as well. I don’t know where to credit for that, whether you give it to Pittsburgh for just how many fans there are, whether they travel or whether they are just all over the place.”

Rivers followed it up by giving a shout out to Chargers fans by trying their best. No, seriously.

“Our fans that were here did their best. Obviously, we had the Steelers fans quieted for some time. It was loud on some third downs for our defense…”

Ouch.

If you want to know why the Chargers want to move to Los Angeles, that’s part of your answer there. Still, I think the bigger story here is that Steelers fans completely took over Qualcomm Stadium, which is over 2400 miles away from Heinz Field.

That’s a six hour and 15 minute flight, or 35 hours driving if the traffic is good.

You might be thinking that the whole crowd noise thing is overrated and doesn’t really have an effect on the final score. The better quarterbacks around the league always find a way to communicate, right?

Not so fast.

I’m reminded of the beginning of Super Bowl 48, when so many traveling Seahawks fans came to MetLife Stadium and were so loud they affected Peyton Manning‘s first snap of the game, which ended in a safety. It was all downhill from there for the Broncos.

The moral of the story is that fans matter, and the Steelers are luckier than most teams in that respect. Take a bow.

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