Seahawks Claim ”Renegade” as Their Own in Pittsburgh Upset
PITTSBURGH, PA – In a stunning reversal of a long-held NFL tradition, the Seattle Seahawks effectively “stole” the Pittsburgh Steelers‘ signature hype song, “Renegade,” and used it to fuel a game-winning performance on Sunday. The move, a pre-planned strategic effort by the Seahawks, demonstrably impacted the Steelers’ sideline energy and contributed to SeattleS victory.
For years, the steelers have strategically deployed Styx’s “Renegade” during crucial fourth-quarter moments at Acrisure Stadium, aiming to ignite their team and intimidate opponents. The Seahawks, though, anticipated this tactic and proactively adopted the song as their own during the week leading up to the game.This bold strategy underscores a growing trend of psychological warfare in the NFL,where teams are increasingly focused on manipulating opponent morale as much as executing on-field plays. The outcome in Pittsburgh signals a potential shift in how teams approach these in-game psychological battles.
Defensive tackle Leonard Williams revealed the team’s plan, stating, “That’s our song,” after the game. The Seahawks reportedly played “Renegade” repeatedly during practice, conditioning themselves to respond with heightened energy whenever it was played.
“They play really tight close games, and in those close games, they play that song to get their team going,” Williams explained to The Athletic’s Michael-Shawn Dugar. “With us knowing that, we played that song a few times in practice, and every time we played it, we got hype. And it showed up again.”
The impact was instantly visible. Following a “Renegade” moment during the game,Seahawks quarterback sam Darnold connected with Jaxon Smith-Njigba on a 43-yard pass,setting up a decisive play. The Steelers, anticipating a running play, were caught off guard as Seattle delivered a pivotal touchdown. Williams noted the stark contrast in sideline reactions, observing, “I love seeing our sideline get electric like that, and looking at their sideline, and they just didn’t have the juice. It was amazing.”
