That style of play is part of the reason why they are so popular around the country. (Winning more Super Bowls than any other team in the NFL also probably has something to do with it.) The Steelers are what the TV commentators like to call a “national team.”
As the nature of football changes though more and more fans are getting turned off to the kinds of brutal hits that the NFL used to promote as part of its brand. This week Will Smith’s Concussion movie comes out and it’s likely to heat up the conversation about head injuries in the sport.