More Steelers Fans In PA Say Replace Aaron Rodgers, Quinnipiac University Sports Poll Finds; Eagles Fans Rally Around Jalen Hurts
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As the NFL makes its offseason plays, Steelers fans are weighing in on what they think the Pittsburgh Steelers should do while Aaron Rodgers mulls over whether to commit to a 22nd NFL season or retire.
Fifty-one percent of Pittsburgh Steelers fans think the team should try to replace Rodgers with a different quarterback, while 32 percent think the team should keep Rodgers as their starting quarterback, with 17 percent not offering an opinion, according to a Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pea-ack) University Sports Poll of adults in Pennsylvania released today. The survey was conducted in collaboration with the Quinnipiac University School of Communications.
Among NFL fans overall, 40 percent think the Steelers should try to replace him with a different quarterback, while 31 percent think the Steelers should keep Rodgers as their starting quarterback, with 29 percent not offering an opinion.
"Aaron Rodgers does not seem interested in stepping away from the NFL just yet, and the Steelers have expressed interest in re-signing him. Fans, on the other hand, are not showing that same level of confidence in the quarterback," said Brittani Webb, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Media Studies, Quinnipiac University School of Communications.
STEELERS HEAD COACH
Four in 10 Steelers fans (40 percent) think the team made the right move hiring Mike McCarthy to be their next head coach, while 31 percent think the team made the wrong move, with 29 percent not offering an opinion.
Among NFL fans overall, 39 percent think the Steelers made the right move hiring McCarthy, while 24 percent think the team made the wrong move, with 37 percent not offering an opinion.
"While there is broad respect across the NFL for Super Bowl-winning coach Mike McCarthy, he still has a lot to prove to Steelers fans in this post-Tomlin era," added Webb.
EAGLES QB
Eagles fans, hands down, want to keep starting quarterback Jalen Hurts, as 83 percent think the Eagles should keep Hurts, while 7 percent think they should try to replace him with a different quarterback, with 10 percent not offering an opinion.
Seventy-two percent of NFL fans overall think the Eagles should keep Hurts and 8 percent think the team should try to replace Hurts, with 20 percent not offering an opinion.
"Sports fans like to overreact. It's part of who they are. But at some point, you hope they find logic. And these numbers at least feel like logic is alive and well. Replacing Jalen Hurts, given what he's done in an Eagles uniform, feels silly," said Nick Pietruszkiewicz, Assistant Professor of Journalism and Program Director of Sports Communications, Quinnipiac University.
EAGLES HEAD COACH
Three quarters of Eagles fans (75 percent) think the Eagles should keep head coach Nick Sirianni, while 10 percent think the team should fire Sirianni, with 14 percent not offering an opinion.
Among NFL fans overall, 68 percent think the Eagles should keep Sirianni, while 8 percent think the team should fire Sirianni, with 24 percent not offering an opinion.
"Coaching changes happen in the NFL. Look at this past offseason for evidence. Everyone is looking for a coach that can win games, get in the playoffs, go deep. Nick Sirianni has won double-digit games in four of five seasons in Philadelphia, been to two Super Bowls and won one of them. He frustrates Philly fans, but that isn't good enough to go searching for someone else when the guy you have wins games," added Pietruszkiewicz.
EAGLES WIDE RECEIVER
More than two-thirds of Eagles fans (68 percent) think the Eagles should keep wide receiver A.J. Brown, while 19 percent think the Eagles should trade Brown, with 13 percent not offering an opinion.
Among NFL fans overall, 52 percent think the Eagles should keep Brown and 25 percent think the team should trade Brown, with 23 percent not offering an opinion.
912 adults in Pennsylvania were surveyed from February 19th - 23rd with a margin of error of +/- 4.5 percentage points, including the design effect. The sample includes 631 self-identified NFL fans with a margin of error of +/- 5.4 percentage points, including the design effect.
The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Doug Schwartz, Ph.D. since 1994, conducts independent, non-partisan national and state polls on politics and issues. Surveys adhere to industry best practices and are based on probability-based samples using random digit dialing with live interviewers calling landlines and cell phones.
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Poll Questions
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Question 20. Thinking about professional football, would you describe yourself as a super fan, a fan, a casual fan, or not a fan?
ADULTS...................................................... AGE IN YRS....... AREA.............. Tot Men Wom 18-49 50-64 65+ West Cntrl East Super fan 11% 14% 8% 10% 15% 9% 11% 7% 13% Fan 23 30 15 20 27 27 24 20 24 Casual fan 29 27 31 30 27 31 32 24 30 Not a fan 37 29 46 39 30 33 33 49 33 DK/NA - - - - - - - - - -
Question 21. (If professional football super fan, fan or casual fan q20) Are you a Steelers fan, an Eagles fan, or a fan of another team?
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE FANS Q20........................... AGE IN YRS....... AREA.............. Tot Men Wom 18-49 50-64 65+ West Cntrl East Steelers 33% 32% 33% 33% 36% 36% 85% 25% 4% Eagles 44 40 48 45 34 47 - 38 73 Another team 22 27 17 22 28 14 15 35 21 DK/NA 1 1 2 - 2 3 - 3 1 FAN TYPE Q20........ Super Fan Casual Steelers 28% 36% 31% Eagles 45 41 46 Another team 26 22 21 DK/NA 2 1 2 -
Question 22. (If professional football super fan, fan or casual fan q20) Do you think the Steelers should keep - Aaron Rodgers as their starting quarterback or try to replace him with a different quarterback?
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE FANS Q20........................... AGE IN YRS....... AREA.............. Tot Men Wom 18-49 50-64 65+ West Cntrl East Keep Rodgers 31% 31% 31% 33% 22% 33% 34% 35% 28% Replace Rodgers 40 45 32 33 54 41 50 35 35 DK/NA 29 24 36 34 24 26 16 31 37 FAN TYPE Q20........ FAVORITE TEAM Q21............. Super Fan Casual Steelers Eagles OtherTeam Keep Rodgers 40% 29% 29% 32% 28% 35% Replace Rodgers 43 52 29 51 35 33 DK/NA 17 18 42 17 37 32 -
Question 23. (If professional football super fan, fan or casual fan q20) Do you think the Eagles should keep - Jalen Hurts as their starting quarterback or try to replace him with a different quarterback?
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE FANS Q20........................... AGE IN YRS....... AREA.............. Tot Men Wom 18-49 50-64 65+ West Cntrl East Keep Hurts 72% 74% 70% 76% 75% 71% 64% 68% 78% Replace Hurts 8 11 6 6 9 9 6 8 10 DK/NA 20 16 25 19 17 21 31 23 12 FAN TYPE Q20........ FAVORITE TEAM Q21............. Super Fan Casual Steelers Eagles OtherTeam Keep Hurts 84% 78% 63% 61% 83% 65% Replace Hurts 7 13 5 10 7 9 DK/NA 9 10 31 29 10 25 -
Question 24. (If professional football super fan, fan or casual fan q20) Do you think the Steelers made the right move or the wrong move hiring - Mike McCarthy to be their next head coach?
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE FANS Q20........................... AGE IN YRS....... AREA.............. Tot Men Wom 18-49 50-64 65+ West Cntrl East Right move 39% 38% 40% 38% 39% 43% 42% 31% 41% Wrong move 24 33 13 31 23 17 28 27 20 DK/NA 37 29 47 31 38 39 30 42 39 FAN TYPE Q20........ FAVORITE TEAM Q21............. Super Fan Casual Steelers Eagles OtherTeam Right move 51% 44% 30% 40% 38% 39% Wrong move 32 30 16 31 20 22 DK/NA 17 26 53 29 42 39 -
Question 25. (If professional football super fan, fan or casual fan q20) Do you think the Eagles should keep head coach - Nick Sirianni, or fire him?
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE FANS Q20........................... AGE IN YRS....... AREA.............. Tot Men Wom 18-49 50-64 65+ West Cntrl East Keep Sirianni 68% 74% 60% 66% 69% 73% 61% 63% 74% Fire Sirianni 8 9 8 12 6 4 5 12 9 DK/NA 24 18 32 22 24 24 33 25 17 FAN TYPE Q20........ FAVORITE TEAM Q21............. Super Fan Casual Steelers Eagles OtherTeam Keep Sirianni 74% 76% 59% 65% 75% 55% Fire Sirianni 16 8 6 4 10 11 DK/NA 10 17 34 30 14 34 -
Question 26. (If professional football super fan, fan or casual fan q20) Do you think the Eagles should keep wide receiver - A.J. Brown, or trade him?
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE FANS Q20........................... AGE IN YRS....... AREA.............. Tot Men Wom 18-49 50-64 65+ West Cntrl East Keep Brown 52% 51% 54% 54% 52% 51% 39% 42% 65% Trade Brown 25 33 14 25 27 21 24 30 23 DK/NA 23 15 33 21 21 27 37 28 12 FAN TYPE Q20........ FAVORITE TEAM Q21............. Super Fan Casual Steelers Eagles OtherTeam Keep Brown 50% 55% 51% 42% 68% 36% Trade Brown 39 32 14 23 19 38 DK/NA 11 13 35 35 13 26 -
Question 27. As you may know, the United States, Canada, and Mexico will host the World Cup this year, with six soccer matches held in Philadelphia. How interested are you in the 2026 World Cup; very interested, somewhat interested, not so interested, or not interested at all?
ADULTS...................................................... AGE IN YRS....... AREA.............. Tot Men Wom 18-49 50-64 65+ West Cntrl East Very interested 12% 16% 8% 15% 8% 9% 7% 11% 16% Somewhat interested 29 34 24 32 27 25 24 16 40 Not so interested 18 13 22 19 17 20 22 19 15 Not interested 41 37 45 33 48 47 47 54 29 DK/NA - 1 - 1 - - - - 1