For pretty much their entire existence. the Pittsburgh Steelers have been known as a rough-and-tough team opponents hate to play against.
But it’s not the heavy-hitters on the field that are the main reason why some opposing players hate playing on the banks of the Three Rivers.
According to an anonymous poll taken by The Athletic, there’s something about Acrisure Stadium that stands out for at least one player: The smell.
When asked about their least-favourite road trip, one player told the outlet: “I would say Pittsburgh, because it smells like p— in their locker room.”
Another player wasn’t a fan of the city in general.
“Even though it’s my vibe: tough. It’s just always gray and s****y weather there,” the second unnamed player added.
However, despite those two one-star reviews, Pittsburgh didn’t rank as the least favourite trip to make in the poll.
That dishonour goes to Lambeau Field, home of the Green Bay Packers, which received 16.8% of the votes in the poll.
While the historic venue is considered hallowed ground by many, it’s the surrounding area that irks players coming to town to battle the Packers.
“It’s always cold,” one player said. “There’s not a lot to do there. I love the stadium, though.”
Another added: “It sucks. There’s nothing to do. The food stinks. It’s cold, obviously. It just feels like you’re in a tundra.”
The lack of decent dining options in the Wisconsin town didn’t help the reviews, either.
Buffalo didn’t escape some stinging reviews, with players lamenting the lack of entertainment, food options and the unfavourable weather conditions in Western New York.
“They ain’t even got Uber Black,” one player said.
The outlet had its beat writers conduct the poll during training camp and pre-season, with reporters asking 110 players the same set of questions, though not every player answered every question. The players were granted anonymity to offer their opinions on opponents, coaches, rules and more.
The Dallas Cowboys will travel to Pittsburgh to take on the Steelers on Sunday night. Let’s hope they’ve packed some nose plugs.