Grant Delpit Reveals Why Browns Stole Steelers' Anthem at Practice

In the midst of a 5-2 start to the season, the vibes have been high in Cleveland in the lead-up to a Week 8 rematch with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Players have been seen dancing, shadowboxing and jamming out to Styx classic 'Renegade' 

The only problem is that the song has become a fourth-quarter anthem of sorts for the Browns biggest rivals in the Steel City. That didn't stop them from opening up three straight days of practice to the rock classic. 

On Friday, starting safety Grant Delpit revealed there was a method to their madness. 

"I don't know whose idea it was, but of course it's for a reason," Delpit explained. "You want to get used to hearing it because the fourth quarter how they play it and stuff like that. So probably a [Todd] Monken decision, if I could guess."

Cleveland will hear the song again on Sunday, when it will look to win its first regular-season road game in Pittsburgh since 2003. That long, tortured history has been a major topic of conversation this week, but not one members of the organization are reading into all that much. 

Monken said it's not something he's mentioned to the team, downplaying this pivotal AFC North matchup as simply the next game to try to get to 6-2. In Northeast Ohio it certainly means more than that, as the Browns look to firmly prove this is truly a new era of football for the franchise. 

Playing the Steelers hype song at practice wasn't the only sign that it's rivalry week in Cleveland. 

There was also a continued war of words between the two AFC North foes. After Browns new DE Jared Verse called Pittsburgh dirty following a 27-24 Browns win in Week 4, Steelers vet Cameron Heyward opened the week by asserting that the comments would be addressed on Sunday. That, naturally, prompted a response from Verse, who continued to stoke the rivalry flames. 

It's the type of commentary fans should want around a game that will determine first place in the division, at least so far. 

Cleveland also has a chance to rewrite some damning history with a win too. Such an outcome would mark the first time the franchise swept the Steelers since 1988. It would mark the first time it started 3-0 in division play since 1993. 

So no matter how much the Browns may have downplayed the matchup this week, deep down they know this one means more. And like any good rivalry, they've leaned into it.