If you go to any number of social media platforms to talk about the Pittsburgh Steelers, you’ll quickly see the battle lines which are already drawn.

• The pro-Tomlin crowd, and the anti-Tomlin crowd
• Pro-Pickett vs. Anti-Pickett
• Pro-Steelers Organization vs. Anti-Organization

If you’ve been in these realms, you know exactly what I’m talking about when I talk about these battle lines. Just like battle, it can be brutal. Insults, name calling, and even personal attacks are a regular occurrence as fans want to be right more than anything else. If you disagree with their take, those are fighting words.

On Friday’s “Let’s Ride” podcast, which can be heard in the player below, I did what I always do in the second half of the Friday show, and that is welcomed Jeremy “Jerome” Betz on for the All Betz Are Off segment. Before Jeremy even joined the studio to record, I knew what I wanted to talk with him about during his segment.

Friday morning Jeremy wrote an article about how the Steelers organization has become stuck in a philosophical rut. As the editor here, I had previewed the article prior to it being scheduled, and let’s just say I didn’t necessarily agree with everyone Jeremy was writing in the article.

I’m a big proponent of free speech, and everyone having an opinion. It’s what they’re entitled to in their everyday lives, but I wanted to give Jeremy a chance to articulate his stance. Throughout the segment Jeremy and I disagreed on more than one occasion, and it was glorious.

The disagreement? No.

The fact we were able to have a discussion, not a debate or argument, where we differed in our opinions yet weren’t going to let it get heated. We weren’t going to take it to “that level”. I left the recording feeling refreshed, and it felt great to have that type of debate, some might call it a civil discourse, without anything getting blown out of proportion.

When you think about it, and when I think back on Friday’s show, I realize neither Jeremy or I changed our stance on the discussion. But that wasn’t the purpose. We both spoke our minds, backed our stances with sound reasoning, and then were able to suggest it was “to each their own” and called it a tremendous segment.

I don’t bring this up because I want to pump up the podcast (did I mention you can listen to it in the player below??) but to hopefully use it as an illustration on how Steelers fans don’t have to be so critical when talking about their favorite team. With free agency just around the corner, there will be people who both love and hate the players signed. Just like there will be fans who despise specific draft picks in the 2024 NFL Draft.

That’s okay, even if you disagree with them. I believe everyone is entitled to an opinion, even if I don’t agree with them or their stance.

Just some food for thought on this Sunday, and I hope you all leave with the same thoughts I had after recording with Mr. Betz. Civil discourse is still a thing, and is still possible among fans of the black-and-gold.