PITTSBURGH -- Several Pittsburgh Steelers made strong statements as they arrived at Heinz Field for the rematch with the Browns.
A group of players, including captain Cam Heyward, showed up on Sunday wearing black "Free Pouncey" sweatshirts. Some wore the hoods of the sweatshirts up and masks covering their faces, concealing their identity. One player, wearing a black mask, arrived wearing a Pouncey jersey.
Center Maurkice Pouncey was suspended for three games -- appealed down to two -- for his role in the fight between quarterback Mason Rudolph and defensive end Myles Garrett in the first meeting between the two teams less than three weeks ago.
No surprise, Cam Heyward among those wearing the Free Pouncey sweatshirt pic.twitter.com/beR7RRMqJ4
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) December 1, 2019
Pouncey ran in after the play and kicked and punched Garrett after he struck Rudolph with the quarterback's own helmet.
Other Steelers players made other statements with their outfits, including defensive back Cameron Sutton, who wore a sweatshirt that depicted a Steelers helmet-wearing person urinating on a Cleveland Browns player on the ground.
Two days earlier, Cleveland head coach Freddie Kitchens was photographed wearing a "Pittsburgh started it" T-shirt when he went to see the Fred Rogers biopic "A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood."
Tom Hanks plays Rogers, who was from Pittsburgh, in the movie.
