The Rivalry with Pittsburgh Steelers

Lore & Background

The rivalry originated after the AAFC–NFL merger following the 1949 season, when the Browns and Steelers were placed in the same division in 1950—the NFL American Conference, which was officially renamed the Eastern Conference for the 1953 season. This alignment led to the teams facing each other twice each year. Since the AFL–NFL merger, the Browns and Steelers have been competing in the AFC North (previously known as the AFC Central until 2001). The rivalry, which has featured 148 meetings as of the end of the 2023 season, is the oldest and most frequently played matchup in the AFC North division, not the entire American Football Conference. The two divisional opponents share a natural rivalry due to geographic proximity and similarities between the cities. It is sometimes referred to as the Turnpike Rivalry or Turnpike War because travel between the two cities primarily involves the Ohio Turnpike and Pennsylvania Turnpike.

In Their Own Story

The snow fell softly on the parking lot, but the engines roared with anticipation. A fan adjusted his orange scarf against the biting wind, looking toward the stadium lights cutting through the gray Ohio sky. Across the state line, thousands of black-clad fans were doing the same, united by the promise of a hard-fought battle. Tonight, there would be no mercy on the gridiron.

Reader's Guide

The Steelers lead the overall series, 83–65–1. The two teams have met three times in the playoffs, with the Steelers holding a 2–1 advantage.

Did You Know?

• The rivalry is sometimes called the Turnpike Rivalry because travel between Cleveland and Pittsburgh involves the Ohio Turnpike and Pennsylvania Turnpike.
• The two cities are roughly 135 miles apart, and many fans make the two-hour drive by car to away games.
• Youngstown, Ohio, located roughly halfway between the two cities, is split roughly 50/50 between Browns and Steelers fans.
• Former Steelers head coach Chuck Noll is from Cleveland and played linebacker for the Browns.
• Former Steelers head coach Bill Cowher played linebacker and special teams for the Browns and was an assistant coach for the Browns from 1985 to 1988.