If you have been to a Steelers game in the last 20 years, there is no doubt you have heard it, and even more so, experienced it.
The scoreboard goes black for a few seconds and there is a buzz throughout the stadium.
The fans can feel the energy. The players on the sideline know what's coming.
And then, the video begins.
The lyrics are menacing.
"Oh Mama, I'm in fear for my life from the long arm of the law.
Law man has put an end to my running and I'm so far from my home.
Oh Mama I can hear you a cryin', you're so scared and all alone.
Hangman is comin' down from the gallows and I don't have very long."
And the highlights to accompany it, are even more menacing.
It's 'Renegade,' the Styx song that has become synonymous with the Steelers defense.
But where did it all begin?
How did this 1970s song become an anthem for the Steelers defense decades later?
And what do Steelers players think of it?
All of those questions, and so much more, are part of the first episode of 'A Steelers Story.'
The new long form feature series produced by Steelers Media Productions kicks off with taking you to the root of 'Renegade' and the success the Steelers have when the song is played.
"When you play it, it's known," said former Steelers linebacker Joey Porter Sr. "Other teams talk about it when they come into the stadium."
The 'Renegade' feature will debut on Thursday, Oct. 19 at 7 p.m. on steelers.com and the Steelers YouTube channel. 'Steelers Story' looks to provide in-depth profiles on Steelers players past and present as well as other unique Steelers stories.
