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Our only agenda is to publish the truth so you can be an informed participant in democracy. We need your help. More Info ### I would like to contribute One Time Monthly Yearly Join Now ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on June 9, 2024 in a post: Pittsburgh Steelers coach “directs team to not participate in pride month” calling it \"woke crap\" ![\\"true\\"](\\" false/33efdb6633e5e2fdc2d4e2f63383a1e0.jpg.\\") ![\\"false\\"](\\" false.jpg\\") * LGBTQ * Sports * Facebook Fact-checks * Facebook posts ![\\"Grace](\\" By Grace Abels June 14, 2024 # No, Steelers coach did not call Pride Month ‘woke crap.’ That claim started as satire. #### If Your Time is short * The story originated on a satire site. * A Pittsburgh Steelers spokesperson confirmed that coach Mike Tomlin did not make such statements. * A social media page associated with the Pittsburgh Steelers posted an image showing team staff gathered after participating in a pride parade. As of June 13, we saw no other messages from the team regarding about Pride Month. See the sources for this fact-check What do Pride Month and football have in common? Well, lately, social media misinformation. \"Breaking: Steelers\' Coach Tomlin Directs Team To Not Participate In Pride Month, ‘It\'s Woke Crap’ read a June 9 Facebook post that showed an image of Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin alongside another image of people holding rainbow flags. ![](\\" (Screenshot of Facebook Post) The post was flagged as part of Meta’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram.) The viral post links to a story in the comments section. That story claimed Tomlin made anti- Pride celebration comments during a press conference. \"We are here to play football, not to get involved in social or political movements,\" it quoted him as saying. \"Pride Month is woke crap, and it has no place in our team activities.\" A Steelers spokesperson confirmed that Tomlin made no such comments, and a review of Tomlin’s recent press conferences shows he didn’t mention Pride Month. The story appears to have started on SpaceXMania.com and its affiliated website Essports.com — the same network of satire websites that gave rise to a False story about the Kansas City Chiefs refusing to participate in Pride Month. #### Featured Fact-check ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/322c808c00e73c217d17772ddd5a0eb5.jpg\\") ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/8b142c91ebe468a84a192e6df2b7b994.jpg\\") Instagram posts stated on September 9, 2024 in a post Video shows Tim Walz “falsely claims that being gay in Nebraska is ‘illegal’\" ![\\"true\\"](\\" false/33efdb6633e5e2fdc2d4e2f63383a1e0.jpg.\\") ![\\"false\\"](\\" false.jpg\\") By Grace Abels • September 11, 2024 When the Steelers claim was first shared on Facebook it had a satire disclaimer, but as it spread and the story was reposted on other websites, that disclaimer disappeared. Some National Football League teams have made headlines this month because the teams have not made public statements acknowledging Pride Month on social media. As of June 13, the official Steelers X account, Instagram, and Facebook had not shared anything LGBTQ+ related for Pride Month, but the team’s official community relations account on X posted a picture on June 1 after it said some of its staff marched in a local pride parade. We rate the claim that Tomlin directed his team to not participate in Pride Month and called it \"woke crap,\" False. #### Read About Our Process The Principles of the Truth-O-Meter ### Our Sources Email interview with Pittsburgh Steelers spokesperson, June 13, 2024 PolitiFact, \"Kansas City Chiefs didn’t issue statement about not participating in Pride Month,\" June 10, 2024 Facebook post, June 8, 2024 News Today, \"Breakiпg: Steelers’ Coach Tomliп Directs Team To Not Participate In Pride Moпth, \"It’s Woke Crap,\" archived June 13, 2024 Pittsburgh Steelers, \"Steelers Press Conferences Video Archive,\" accessed June 13, 2024 SpaceXMania, \"About Us,\" archived June 13, 2024 Esspots, \"About Us,\" archived June 13, 2024 SpaceXMania, \"Breaking: Coach Tomlin Announces Ban On Pride Month Celebrations, \"It’s Woke Agenda’,\" archived June 13, 2024 Esspots, \"Breaking: Steelers’ Coach Tomlin Directs Team To Not Participate In Pride Month, \"It’s Woke Crap\",\" archived June 13, 2024 Facebook post, June 6, 2024, archived June 13, 2024 Facebook post, June 9, 2024 News, \"Breaking: Steelers’ Coach Tomlin Directs Team To Not Participate In Pride Month, \"It’s Woke Crap\",\" archived June 13, 2024 PinkNews, \"Harrison Butker\'s Kansas City Chiefs among the few NFL teams not to celebrate Pride Month publicly,\" June 11, 2024 Fox News, \"10 NFL teams so far decline to bow to pride month messaging,\" June 4, 2024 Marca, \"Chiefs and Cowboys among NFL Teams not publicly celebrating Pride Month,\" June 10, 2024 X profile, \"Pittsburgh Steelers,\" accessed June 13, 2024 Instagram profile, \"Pittsburgh Steelers,\" accessed June 13, 2024 Facebook page, \"Pittsburgh Steelers,\" accessed June 13, 2024 X profile, \"Steelers Community Relations (@SteelersCR),\" accessed June 13, 2024 X post, June 1, 2024 ## Browse the Truth-O-Meter ### More by Grace Abels slide 4 to 6 of 15 ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on July 14, 2024 in a post: Thomas Crooks “was a registered Democrat who voted for Clinton and Biden.” ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Grace Abels • July 15, 2024 ![](\\" black/4590875651af69b2c789ceab409664dd.jpg\\") ![](\\" black/72988380e8c8bd188dc360d11552e4a0.jpg\\") X posts stated on July 7, 2024 in a post: LGBTQ+ leaders sign World Economic Forum treaty to “Accept Pedophiles as \'Legally Protected Minority’” ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Grace Abels • July 11, 2024 ![](\\" logo-black-01/b6cedac93f6e57c68ecc025e5ec29d57.jpg\\") ![](\\" logo-black-01/438dbf066033f99de07598cbcc77ddcb.jpg\\") Threads posts stated on July 7, 2024 in a Threads post: Video shows “huge green coloured meteor” on July 7, 2024, in Budapest, Hungary. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Grace Abels • July 9, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on September 24, 2024 in a post: “Olympic boxer Imane Khelif fails gender test, stripped of all titles, lifetime ban and $25 million prize money revoked!” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Grace Abels • September 30, 2024 ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/322c808c00e73c217d17772ddd5a0eb5.jpg\\") ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/8b142c91ebe468a84a192e6df2b7b994.jpg\\") Instagram posts stated on September 25, 2024 in a post: Video shows footage of Hurricane Helene ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Grace Abels • September 27, 2024 ![](\\" black/4590875651af69b2c789ceab409664dd.jpg\\") ![](\\" black/72988380e8c8bd188dc360d11552e4a0.jpg\\") X posts stated on September 24, 2024 in a post: Image of people boarding up a window shows Michigan election officials are “preparing to steal this election” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Grace Abels • September 26, 2024 ![](\\" black/4590875651af69b2c789ceab409664dd.jpg\\") ![](\\" black/72988380e8c8bd188dc360d11552e4a0.jpg\\") X posts stated on September 15, 2024 in posts: Ryan Routh\'s Instagram bio says he is a \"proud LGBTQ+ member\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Grace Abels • September 20, 2024 ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/322c808c00e73c217d17772ddd5a0eb5.jpg\\") ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/8b142c91ebe468a84a192e6df2b7b994.jpg\\") Instagram posts stated on September 9, 2024 in a post: Video shows Tim Walz “falsely claims that being gay in Nebraska is ‘illegal’\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Grace Abels • September 11, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" Kamala Harris stated on July 20, 2024 in remarks at a fundraiser in Provincetown, Mass.: Donald Trump “took away protections against discrimination for LGBTQ patients under the Affordable Care Act.” ![\\"mostly-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"mostly-true\\"](\\" mostly-true.jpg\\") By Grace Abels • September 9, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" Donald Trump stated on August 30, 2024 in an interview at a Moms for Liberty Conference: “The transgender thing is incredible... your kid goes to school and comes home a few days later with an operation. The school decides what’s going to happen with your child.\" ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Grace Abels • September 5, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" Donald Trump stated on July 26, 2024 in remarks at Turning Point USA summit: Kamala Harris “wants to forcibly compel doctors and nurses against their will to give chemical castration drugs to young children.” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Grace Abels • August 29, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" JD Vance stated on August 7, 2024 in a campaign event in Eau Claire, Wisconsin: Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz signed a law that would “take children away from their parents if the parents don’t want to consent to sex changes.” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Grace Abels • August 27, 2024 ![](\\" black/4590875651af69b2c789ceab409664dd.jpg\\") ![](\\" black/72988380e8c8bd188dc360d11552e4a0.jpg\\") X posts stated on August 19, 2024 in a post: “Women don\'t even get their own restroom at the DNC convention.” ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Grace Abels • August 20, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" Pete Buttigieg stated on August 11, 2024 in CNN\'s State of the Union: JD Vance holds “anti-marriage-equality views.” ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" true.jpg\\") By Grace Abels • August 16, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" Social Media stated on July 13, 2024 in posts: Project 2025 would end gay marriage. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Grace Abels • July 30, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on July 14, 2024 in a post: Thomas Crooks “was a registered Democrat who voted for Clinton and Biden.” ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Grace Abels • July 15, 2024 ![](\\" black/4590875651af69b2c789ceab409664dd.jpg\\") ![](\\" black/72988380e8c8bd188dc360d11552e4a0.jpg\\") X posts stated on July 7, 2024 in a post: LGBTQ+ leaders sign World Economic Forum treaty to “Accept Pedophiles as \'Legally Protected Minority’” ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Grace Abels • July 11, 2024 ![](\\" logo-black-01/b6cedac93f6e57c68ecc025e5ec29d57.jpg\\") ![](\\" logo-black-01/438dbf066033f99de07598cbcc77ddcb.jpg\\") Threads posts stated on July 7, 2024 in a Threads post: Video shows “huge green coloured meteor” on July 7, 2024, in Budapest, Hungary. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Grace Abels • July 9, 2024 ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on September 24, 2024 in a post: “Olympic boxer Imane Khelif fails gender test, stripped of all titles, lifetime ban and $25 million prize money revoked!” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Grace Abels • September 30, 2024 ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/322c808c00e73c217d17772ddd5a0eb5.jpg\\") ![](\\" Instagram_logo_2016.svg/8b142c91ebe468a84a192e6df2b7b994.jpg\\") Instagram posts stated on September 25, 2024 in a post: Video shows footage of Hurricane Helene ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Grace Abels • September 27, 2024 ![](\\" black/4590875651af69b2c789ceab409664dd.jpg\\") ![](\\" black/72988380e8c8bd188dc360d11552e4a0.jpg\\") X posts stated on September 24, 2024 in a post: Image of people boarding up a window shows Michigan election officials are “preparing to steal this election” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Grace Abels • September 26, 2024 ### No, Steelers coach did not call Pride Month ‘woke crap.’ That claim started as satire. * ![](\\" ![](\\" Viral image stated on September 30, 2024 in a Threads post: Image shows a photo of former President Donald Trump wading through floodwater after Hurricane Helene. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Ciara O\'Rourke • October 2, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Donald Trump stated on September 29, 2024 in a rally in Erie, PA: Kamala Harris \"let in the 13,099 convicted murderers and opposes all efforts to find them and to remove them.\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Marta Campabadal Graus • October 2, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on September 25, 2024 in a Facebook post: “Georgia coach Kirby Smart\'s family ends relationship with Taylor Swift: ‘We do not support her endorsement.’” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Ciara O\'Rourke • October 1, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Viral image stated on September 20, 2024 in a Facebook post: “TD Jakes MYSTERIOUSLY VANISHES: The search for the renowned bishop begins!” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Ciara O\'Rourke • October 1, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" X posts stated on September 29, 2024 in X posts: A biolab caught fire in Georgia right before the 2024 election. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Sofia Ahmed • October 1, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Donald Trump stated on September 29, 2024 in a rally in Erie, Pennsylvania: Vice President Kamala Harris “even wants to legalize fentanyl.” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Amy Sherman • October 1, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" House Majority PAC stated on September 9, 2024 in a television ad: Laurie Buckhout is “trying to get to Congress to pass a national abortion ban, allowing politicians to ban abortions with no exceptions and prosecute women if they get an abortion, treating women right here like criminals.” ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" barely-true.jpg\\") By Paul Specht • October 1, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Donald Trump Jr. stated on September 9, 2024 in a post: “Less than three months ago, Kamala Harris and her administration blocked 300,000 unvetted Haitian migrants from being deported out of our country.\" ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" barely-true.jpg\\") By Kwasi Gyamfi Asiedu • September 30, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" X posts stated on September 30, 2024 in an X post: Photo shows President Joe Biden lounging on the beach \"while towns all over America were being wiped out” by Hurricane Helene. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Samantha Putterman • September 30, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Social Media stated on September 30, 2024 in in social media posts: “Biden Announces: ‘2.4 billion more to Ukraine’ but ‘no more aid for Hurricane Helene.’” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Jeff Cercone • September 30, 2024 Load more ### Support independent fact-checking. 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Pittsburgh Steelers coach directs team to not participate in pride month calling it woke crap