Getty Pittsburgh Steelers' head coach Mike Tomlin has angered one member of the Baltimore Ravens.
There’s always animosity when the Baltimore Ravens face bitter rivals the Pittsburgh Steelers, but Week 5’s matchup at Acrisure Stadium will have a little extra edge for inside linebacker Patrick Queen.
He remembers some words from Steelers’ head coach Mike Tomlin during his rookie year. Queen told reporters on Wednesday, October 4 how “when I was on their sideline my rookie year, Mike Tomlin was looking at me, yelling at me, ‘you’re not a Raven, you’re not a Raven. You’re not supposed be there, you’re not one of them,’ so every time I play them it’s something personal.”
“You join this organization and they talk about this game and it’s the game that defines you, makes you a Raven.” @Patrickqueen_
What may only have been a passing exchange in the heat of the moment obviously resonated with Queen on a deeper level.
The 24-year-old also explained why he took offence regardless of how Tomlin hoped his words would be interpreted, per “Ravens Vault” co-host Bobby Trosset, who shared a longer clip of Queen’s interview: “I don’t care if he was joking, I don’t care if he was serious. At the end of day, I’m on your sideline and you’re telling me I’m not a Raven. It’s kind of disrespectful.”
The latest installment of this rivalry provides Queen with an ample chance for revenge against a Steelers team sitting a game behind in the AFC North. Tomlin may have the bonus of starting quarterback Kenny Pickett being healthy enough to play, but Queen and fellow middle linebacker Roquan Smith both sound fully motivated to wreck the Pittsburgh offense.
Ravens Linebackers Up for Battle With Steelers
Queen doesn’t only have something to prove to Tomlin. The player selected 28th overall in the 2020 NFL draft is also in a contract year after the Ravens opted not to pick up his fifth-year option.
Fortunately, Queen is reminding his current employers about his long-term value by playing some solid football. He’s already logged two sacks and four tackles for loss, per Pro Football Reference, making No. 6 somebody Tomlin and the Steelers will need to gameplan for this week.
Queen isn’t the only member of the Ravens’ front seven eager to prove a point at the Steelers’ expense. Smith, who arrived in Baltimore after a mid-season trade from the Chicago Bears in 2022, is already well aware of the importance of helping the Ravens beat the old enemy.
The All-Pro said “I remember last year: You’re not a Raven until you beat the Steelers. I carry that over into this year. I’m not a Raven this season until I beat the Steelers,” per ESPN’s Jamison Hensley.
Roquan Smith: “I remember last year: You’re not a Raven until you beat the Steelers. I carry that over into this year. I’m not a Raven this season until I beat the Steelers. I take pride in being a Raven. I want to make sure I earn that right as well.”
Smith was actually on the winning side when the Ravens won 16-14 in Pittsburgh in Week 14 last season. In fact, Smith and Queen both snagged interceptions of Pickett.
The latter knows he’s in for a challenge, one made tougher still by the leg injury the Steelers’ signal-caller suffered against the Houston Texans in Week 4, but Pickett is confident “by Sunday, I’ll be good,” per ESPN’s Brooke Pryor.
Steelers QB Kenny Pickett says he’ll be “ready to go by Sunday”
He also said he was worried the knee injury would be worse based on what the doctors said initially, and he got lucky.
Having Pickett on the field is likely to give Tomlin the belief he can upset the Ravens one more time. The Ravens own the more talented team this season, but Tomlin has a strong history in this rivalry.
Ravens Must Be Wary of Nemesis
The Steelers have been the bane of the Ravens’ existence ever since the latter franchise came into existence back in 1996. Tomlin didn’t join the fray until he succeeded Bill Cowher in 2007, but the 51-year-old had amassed an 18-15 record against Baltimore before splitting last season’s series.
Some of Tomlin’s notable victories have been among the most painful defeats for the Ravens. Like in the 2008 AFC Championship Game or the Divisional Round two seasons later.
Tomlin and Pickett’s predecessor Ben Roethlisberger also ended the Ravens’ playoff hopes by winning 16-13 in overtime at M&T Bank Stadium in the final week of the 2021 regular season.
Those are the kind of defeats that linger, and the pain of them, combined with Queen’s personal history with Tomlin, give the Ravens all the motivation they need to beat these Steelers. It’ll happen if a burgeoning defense and a developing offense click the way they did during the 28-3 win over fellow division rivals the Cleveland Browns in Week 4.