Plenty of Pittsburgh Steelers players have left and moved on to other teams or opportunities. Many don't feel they are done playing and go play with other NFL teams. Some players retire from the NFL and want to continue working. They might go into coaching or even into sports analysis or media. One former Steelers offensive guard, Ramon Foster, has done just that and during the Week 9 matchup against the Tennessee Titans, he was on the other side of the field for the first time.
Foster, who spent all 11 seasons he played in the NFL in Pittsburgh, is originally from Tennessee. He was born in Henning, a very small town on the Western border. He stayed and attended the University of Tennessee for college. Despite participating in the NFL Combine and Pro Days, Foster was not drafted. The Steelers signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He spent the next decade-plus helping to protect then-quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. When Foster retired from football, no one was surprised when he returned to his home state.
Now Foster works in media with both the Volunteers and the Titans. He also co-hosts a very popular Steelers podcast with reporter Dejan Kovaceic called The Ramon Foster Show which airs on DK Pittsburgh Sports. On a recent episode of the podcast, Foster talked about how he worked for the enemy during the Week 9 game with his job as a sideline reporter for Titans Radio. He said standing there on the visitor sideline, at a place that will always feel like home was surreal. He also said it gave him a totally different perspective.
"I was like wow, this is what it's like being on the other side. I can see why, I'll say this too, I can see why there's so much hate for the Steelers," said Foster.
Kovacevic was surprised and asked Foster to clarify. Foster had admitted on previous episodes of the show that he felt conflicted coming into Acrisure Stadium. He said that one of his co-workers from the media team asked him when he arrived if he missed it a little bit and Foster said he had to admit that he kind of does. Still, for the first time, he got to see what it is like to be a visitor in Pittsburgh. In a word, it's intimidating.
"The need to want to beat that team, the Pittsburgh Steelers, is a lot that crowd, that stadium. The crew I work with, Coach Dave McGinnis, said, 'Everybody wears a jersey to the games,' it's not many other sports that do that. I looked around I was like, 'Yeah you are right.' Everybody wears a jersey, the towels, no matter how many other stadiums give them out, it's not as recognizable as it is in Pittsburgh."
There is no doubt that being in Pittsburgh for a game is a unique experience. Kovacevic said that he believes the players and fans take it for granted, especially if they haven't known anything else. He added that when you go to other stadiums you see fans in t-shirts and sweatshirts in the team colors, but in Pittsburgh, it is literally the majority of fans in Steelers jerseys.
Steelers Fans Seemed To Bring The 12th Man Advantage
The Steelers have been playing inconsistent football the entire 2023 season, but have still found a way to win the majority of their games. They beat the Titans during the game Foster referenced 20-16 to take them to 5-3 on the season. They are now in a three-way tie for second place in the AFC North behind the Baltimore Ravens.
The two teams traded scoring leads during the first three quarters of the game. The Steelers were able to methodically move down the field on the opening drive and score. This was a bit different than the strictly late-game drives that quarterback Kenny Pickett has been leading to win games in the final minutes.
After an ugly loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars the week before, the fans that packed Acrisure were chomping at the bit to help their team get a win. They cheered, screamed, stomped, and fervently waved their Terrible Towels and it might have made a difference. The defense was able to stop the Titans on their last drive when Kwon Alexander intercepted the ball. Kovacevic said that the crowd that was there was loud, lively, and engaged plus they stayed until the end even though it was a late game. Foster said it was the kind of crowd that would make you a fan if you weren't already one.
Pittsburgh has another home game coming up for Week 10. They will meet the Green Bay Packers at Acrisure for their third straight home game. The fans will once again be tasked with getting the Packers, who are 3-5 and in third place in the NFC North, off-kilter. The Packers also managed to win Week 9 against the Los Angeles Rams, 20-3. The Steelers defense needs to have an answer for Jordan Love and the offense needs to be able to come out swinging again.
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