After his Bengals win, former Pitt star Tyler Boyd: Steelers 'gave up … laid down'

The Cincinnati Bengals have swept a season series against the Pittsburgh Steelers just once since the turn of the century and not since 2009. Sunday’s 24-10 win at Heinz Field put the Bengals halfway to accomplishing that in 2021 — and they were still talking about it Monday.

Eyebrow-raising words came from an unlikely source with Pittsburgh ties: former Clairton and Pitt star Tyler Boyd.

Boyd had his first pro touchdown at Heinz Field on Sunday (he had nine while at Pitt and several more during WPIAL championship games for Clairton). But it was Boyd’s comments to Cincinnati media Monday that might catch the Steelers’ attention.

“The good thing about that win was not only did the Steelers feel that, everybody in the country felt it because the last plays of the game for them, they gave up,” Boyd said during a video conference call with media who cover the Bengals. “You could see that. They had three drops in a row. For a team to see that, it’s giving us more power, giving us the antidote to know how good we are.

“For a team to just lay down like that before the game was over, because no matter what, no matter how much we’re losing by, or whatever the case may be, I know me and I know us, we’re not giving up. We’re going to continue to make plays and try to make something happen. (The Steelers) portrayed to the whole nation, on TV, what they were about and how they gave up.”

Tyler Boyd leaves no doubt about the quit he saw in the Steelers at the end of Sunday game in Pittsburgh. "They gave up." #Bengals pic.twitter.com/BDOKdRUVFc

— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) September 27, 2021

Boyd’s comments first were posted to the verified Twitter accounts of Bengals reporter Mike Petraglia of Field Level Media and ESPN Bengals reporter Ben Bray.

The Steelers’ final three offensive plays were incomplete passes (two to Najee Harris and one to Chase Claypool), at least two of which could be interpreted as drops. Their final play of the previous possession came with 3 minutes and 9 seconds left in regulation and 11 yards away from pulling to within a one-possession game — but quarterback Ben Roethlisberger infamously dumped off a pass behind the line of scrimmage to running back Harris, who was tackled for a 1-yard loss on fourth-and-10.

The teams meet again Nov. 28 when the Steelers visit Cincinnati.

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