Oct 12, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney II walks the field before the Steelers host the Cleveland Browns at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Steelers Shut Down False Art Rooney Rumor

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Steelers on SI
By Jack Markowski | Last updated Dec 3, 2025 5:13 PM ET

The Pittsburgh Steelers have shut down a report suggesting that owner Art Rooney II left the team's Week 13 loss to the Buffalo Bills at Acrisure Stadium before the game actually concluded.

The team's Senior Director of Communications, Burt Lauten, sent out a post on X that addressed those rumors, which originated from 93.7 The Fan, and vehemently denied them in one fell swope.

"My sources (which includes myself and every media outlet, coach and player that saw him walk through the postgame locker room) can confirm he didn't leave the game early," Lauten wrote. "This is blatantly false."

My sources (which includes myself and every media outlet, coach and player that saw him walk through the postgame locker room) can confirm he didn't leave the game early. This is blatantly false. https://t.co/3PooSDakR7
— Burt Lauten (@SteelersPRBurt) December 3, 2025

Steelers On SI's own Noah Strackbein backed up Lauten's statement by stating that he rode the elevator with Rooney at Acrisure Stadium after the contest had ended.

I rode the elevator with him after the game ended https://t.co/BLYh8RYXHM
— Noah Strackbein (@NoahStrackbein) December 3, 2025

Origins of the Rumor

93.7 The Fan's Andrew Filliponi lent credence to the notion that Rooney had departed the game early by stating that he had heard rumors that the Steelers' owner left during the second half en route to a 25-6 blowout loss at the hands of the Bills.

“It’s a rumor,” Filliponi said, per an article from Andrew Limberg, a writer for the radio station. “Someone didn’t send me a picture of him (leaving the stadium) . . . I don’t now for sure if he heard the way fans were sounding or if he hated how the game was going and couldn’t bring himself to watch it through an that prompted his exit.”

Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

Steelers' State of Affairs

Though it's been made crystal clear that Rooney didn't leave Pittsburgh's loss to the Bills prematurely, it feels safe to say that the entire organization isn't thrilled with how the season has played out thus far.

Sitting at 6-6 following a 4-1 start, the Steelers are heading into a crucial Week 14 road matchup against the Baltimore Ravens that could ultimately dictate the fate of the AFC North.

Pittsburgh is set to do so as calls for head coach Mike Tomlin to leave the team grow louder, evidenced by the 'fire Tomlin' chants that rung out at Acrisure Stadium last week, and the possibility of the two parties moving on from one another has never felt more real than it does at the moment.

Tomlin is a franchise legend who has guided the Steelers to 18 non-losing campaigns and has consistently positioned the team as a playoff contender, but with a six-game postseason losing streak in tow alongside their downward spiral this year, it wouldn't come as a shock if some major changes were made if the season doesn't turn around.

Subscribe to our FREE Newsletter for the latest news and updates on the Pittsburgh Steelers