Pittsburgh radio host Andrew Fillipponi promised to get his nipples pierced if the Pittsburgh Steelers lost to the Cincinnati Bengals, which they did. Screen grab: CBS Pittsburgh
By Ben Axelrod on

How confident was Andrew Fillipponi that the Pittsburgh Steelers would beat the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday night? So confident that he promised that if the Steelers somehow lost, he would get his nipples pierced.

More specifically, he’d do so without a numbing agent to ease his pain.

“There’s no way the Steelers lose tonight. In fact. I’ll get my nipples pierced with no numbing agents if they lose to the Bungles,” the 93.7 The Fan radio host posted to X on Thursday afternoon. “It ain’t happening.”

If there’s somebody in Pittsburgh who is more angry with Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry than Mike Tomlin is currently, it may be Fillipponi, who is going to have to make an appointment with a body jewelry shop in the near future. Behind 342 yards and three touchdowns from ex-Browns quarterback Joe Flacco, the Bengals secured a 33-31 victory as Evan McPherson kicked the game-winning field goal with seven seconds remaining.

McPherson’s game-winner didn’t just improve Cincinnati’s record to 3-4 on the season, but it also clinched a nipple-piercing appointment — again, without a numbing agent — for Fillipponi. And the Pittsburgh radio host was certainly well aware that this Steelers loss might wind up stinging more than others, as he frequently alluded to his pregame promise throughout the contest.


WARNING: Graphic image ahead.

Fillipponi’s proclamation wasn’t just a local bit, but also made the rounds on social media, with prominent personalities such as Dan “Big Cat” Katz, Ross Tucker and Chase Daniel weighing in. Simply put, if he has any integrity and wants his pregame predictions to ever be taken seriously again, Poni isn’t just going to have to get his nipples pierced — he’s going to have to do so without the aid of a numbing agent.

About Ben Axelrod

Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.

View all posts by Ben Axelrod