'What the F---? Call It!': Mike McCarthy Regrets Hot-Mic Moment With Aaron Rodgers

The opening drive was the best thing Pittsburgh did all night in Cleveland. It was also where the trouble showed up.

Midway through the first quarter on Thursday, a microphone caught Aaron Rodgers yelling toward the sideline, "What the f---? Call it!" The broadcast cut to Mike McCarthy, who was clearly annoyed and muttered a profanity of his own.

After the 27-24 loss, McCarthy said he wished he hadn't.

What's said on the field, the way I grew up in this game, usually stays on the field. That's not the case today. I understand that. But any negative communication on my part, I wish I wouldn't use those words.

McCarthy said that first series was "hectic" and that he was "talking fast, more than normal." Rodgers blamed the noise. "It was loud," he said. "So some of the calls, it was hard to hear for sure."

The drive, and then nothing

That drive lasted 9 minutes, 48 seconds, the Steelers' longest of the season, and ended with a 12-yard Roman Wilson touchdown. Then the offense went quiet. Rodgers threw an interception four plays into the next possession, and the Browns scored four plays after that. Pittsburgh's next six drives went for 101 yards, with four punts, a missed field goal and a made one, while Cleveland scored 21 straight points.

The hot mic only caught one moment, but Rodgers looked frustrated coming off the field more than once. "It wasn't our cleanest game all the way around," he said. "I missed a couple throws that I usually hit."

Tight end Pat Freiermuth called the stretch after the opening drive "pretty deflating."

Pittsburgh did rally to tie it late, with Rodgers throwing a touchdown to Freiermuth and running in the 2-point try, before Andre Szmyt's 56-yard field goal won it for Cleveland. The Steelers are 2-2 and have extra days to sort out their communication before their next game.