Colts LB Calls Out Steelers Nation Ahead of Sunday’s Game
Indianapolis Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin is preparing for a slew of Steelers fans to be at Sunday’s game. In fact, Vivid Seats’ Fan Forecast projects Steelers fans will take up 40% of the crowd. It could be a Steelers Nation take over in Indy.
“I know the Pittsburgh fans, they are going to try and come in here,” Franklin said. “They like to travel, so I’m looking forward to us fighting back. It is always a talented and tough team when we play Pittsburgh. We know the brand of football that they like to play, but it’s our house, and we make the rules.”
Franklin also added fuel to the fire by saying he might try to snatch some Terrible Towels.
“Hopefully we get to steal a couple Terrible Towels,” Franklin told WTHR. “I might try to snatch one myself. We’ll see.”
The Jacksonville Jaguars have gone 3-9 since safety Andrew Wingard disrespected the Terrible Towel last year. So Franklin should tread lightly.
Franklin has been with the Colts since 2018. He’s 1-3 in his career against Pittsburgh. He served as a special teams player in the first two meetings in 2019 and 2020. He’s recorded 16 tackles in the last two games as a starter in 2022 and 2023.
Pittsburgh fans made a noticeable impact in the Steelers’ Week 1 win over Atlanta. Steelers Nation was so loud that the Falcons had to go on a silent count at their home stadium.
“Steeler Nation is incredible, man,” Watt said after the game. “It is incredibly demoralizing for an offense to be on a silent count at their home field. Honestly, a lot of those plays go to them. The fumble I was able to land on because they had to be on a silent count at their place. Any time that happens when you have a lot of shifts and motions, snaps can go anywhere. The ball is on the ground I got to recover it.”
Vivid Seats’ Fan Forecast projected over 55 percent of the stadium to be Steelers fans against the Denver Broncos in Week 2. There were a lot of Steelers fans at the game, but it wasn’t a takeover like in Atlanta. The Falcons game was projected to be 53 percent Steelers fans, and it felt more like 70 percent.
It will be interesting to see if Steelers Nation makes a difference in Sunday’s game. It appears the Colts are preparing for that to happen.
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