CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Browns didn’t just beat the Pittsburgh Steelers on the field this past Sunday; they effectively deleted one of the most vocal corners of the Steelers’ digital fan base. In the wake of Cleveland’s dominant Week 17 win, the popular and often polarizing Steelers fan account “Pickens Burgh” has officially deactivated, succumbing to a tidal wave of trolling and “receipts” brought forth by the Browns’ faithful.
“Pickens Burgh,” known for its staunch defense of wide receiver George Pickens and frequent jabs at the Browns’ organization, had spent the week leading up to the game predicting a Pittsburgh blowout. However, as the Browns cruised to a double-digit victory that severely dented the Steelers’ playoff hopes, the account became the primary target for a fan base that has long waited for a moment of total division dominance.
The “online execution” began shortly after the final whistle. Browns fans began unearthing months of “hot takes” from the account, tagging “Pickens Burgh” in videos of Cleveland’s highlights. The situation escalated when the official Cleveland Browns X account joined the fray, posting a subtle but devastating jab that many believe was the final straw for the Steelers influencer.
By Monday morning, users clicking on the “Pickens Burgh” profile were met with the “This account doesn’t exist” message.
“It’s the ultimate digital surrender,” said one social media analyst. “In the era of ‘Receipts Culture,’ if you talk as much as that account did and then get embarrassed on a national stage, the internet is going to come for you. Browns fans have been taking it for years, and they clearly had the folders ready to go.”
The deactivation has become a secondary victory lap for Browns fans, who are currently celebrating a 10-6 record and a solidified spot in the AFC playoff picture. For the Steelers, the loss—and the subsequent silencing of one of their loudest online voices—serves as a grim marker of a season that is slipping away.
While it is common for fan accounts to take “breaks” after tough losses, the total deactivation of a high-follower account like “Pickens Burgh” underscores just how intense the AFC North rivalry has become in the digital age. For now, the “Dawg Pound” controls the narrative both on the scoreboard and on the timeline.
