Social media is a relatively modern addition to the Pittsburgh Steelers and overall football landscape, but it has become as pivotal to teams as anything. It is where teams put out statements, communicate with supporters and, a little too often, get embroiled in controversy. Players, teams and coaches across the NFL have had to apologize for inappropriate social media use. The Steelers are no exception from a little controversy, even if it isn't their fault.
This year, the Steelers' social media has already been in the news, thanks to Diontae Johnson. The team’s reception leader unfollowed his employer on social media at the start of the year, which seems to suggest that he won’t be on the roster for the 2023 season. He backed it up with a cryptic Twitter message that said, “Ain gone say too much… but stay tuned.” True to his word, he hasn’t said much since, but it demonstrates how social media can be used as a negative force, despite the team’s best intentions. Indeed, Jourdan Gottlieb, the Steelers' social media manager, must have been tearing her hair out when the story broke.
However, social media is not always negative – if it were, teams wouldn’t have a presence. The Steelers certainly have that; their social media following is 9.6m fans across the two most prominent platforms, split 3.7m on Twitter and 5.9m on Facebook. Those are the two established platforms teams are likely to use, and it shows a rise of around 4m since August 2013.
Despite the Johnson news, social media can be used as a force for good, both in terms of the club’s engagement and profile. The Steelers are very good at primary engagement, and a quick perusal of their Twitter account demonstrates that. They're strong at marketing posts, with items such as the recent post suggesting Steelers items would make good gifts for Valentine’s Day. They also harness the power of thank you on social media, often posting images of fans at games or of their players signing autographs and demonstrating appreciation for their support. It’s a strong image to cultivate, and whilst it might not grab headlines as Johnson’s social media snub did, it’s a fine example of primary engagement from the team.
There’s also secondary engagement, which is out of their reach, but still hugely beneficial. This comes through the likes of Johnson’s unfollow; that’s a secondary engagement out of the team’s control, but in the main, they can be a positive for the team. Take, for instance, celebrity fans such as Adam Sandler. He has 3.1m followers on Twitter and 56m on Facebook, a reach significantly higher than the Steelers. A well-placed tweet or post from him around the team can help reach new audiences and potential fans. Who knows, perhaps a film buff who enjoyed The Waterboy or Wedding Singer could find themselves backing the Steelers next season because of Sandler, buying into the team’s own promotional posts selling merch.
Then there are the likes of Joey Mulinaro, an ardent Steelers fan and an ‘influencer’ who has a social media presence that others respect. He has 320,000 followers on Twitter, more than 150,000 supporters on Instagram and approximately 137,000 proponents on TikTok, a potential platform for further new support. He’s not alone either – Matthew King has 1.4m followers on TikTok and regularly displays his fervent support for the team. They reach different markets and engage fans, all of which can lead back to the Steelers' own accounts.
The power of social media is such that The Big Ragu, Ramon Foster, even pleaded with former Steelers not to criticize the team and players on social media after poor performances, instead urging them to get in touch and air their views directly. That’s how powerful social media can be, in both ways, for a major NFL franchise.
The Steelers don’t have the biggest following in the NFL, nor the smallest, but recent news has shone a light on its use and impact on a team. However, fans must never forget that for every negative story that hits the headlines, a thousand positive connections fly under the radar every day.
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