At least the Cleveland Browns won’t have to play in front of a sea of Terrible Towels when they visit the Pittsburgh Steelers in the playoffs on Sunday.
The Steelers had asked state officials to allow around 6,500 fans into Heinz Field, about 10% of capacity. The request was denied, meaning the cap will remain at 2,500, allowing only family and friends, a policy put in place following a surge in COVID-19 cases throughout Pennsylvania.
After beginning the season by playing two games inside an empty stadium, restrictions were eased in the fall for three contests. A crowd of 5,260 watched Pittsburgh drill the Browns 38-7 on Oct. 18. The more strident restrictions went into place in mid-November, and each of the Steelers’ final three games were played without fans.
Pittsburgh finished 7-1 at Heinz Field this season, a show of home-field dominance rare in 2020. Visiting teams posted a winning record (128-127-1) this season, the first time that’s happened since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970.
“Anyone who has been (to Heinz Field) knows how special it would be,” quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said. “I hate it for them. I hate it for the Steelers for the energy and excitement that it brings. But once again, that is what we are doing. That is what we are living in.”
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