The Pittsburgh Steelers made many moves over the 2024 offseason to improve their team. While most were to the offense, they didn't neglect their defense. Despite having the highest-paid defensive unit in the league, they added linebacker Patrick Queen to the roster. It was their largest free agent signing in the team's history and filled a gap that's existed in the defense since Ryan Shazier was injured.
Queen was originally drafted by the Steelers' archrivals, the Baltimore Ravens, in the first round of 2020. When the Ravens added Roquan Smith to their roster, Queen took more of a backseat. When he became a free agent, he jumped at the opportunity to join a "winning culture." The move created a lot of animosity on both sides, with Queen feeling like Baltimore didn't want him. When he signed with Pittsburgh, his former teammates were bitter that he was happy, and the fans called him a " traitor."
Now, as the teams are officially in Steelers-Ravens week, the topic of the rivalry is on every sports show. That included two once bitter rivals, who turned analysts on ESPN's Get Up. Former Steelers safety Ryan Clark and former Ravens linebacker Bart Scott took opposing sides before the Week 11 showdown.
"This rivalry is about two teams that have similar philosophies of physicality and toughness," said Scott. This is what we like about this rivalry. Even though we hate the Steelers, we respect them, even though we'd never admit that out loud."
The rivalry is about more than being in the same division. The two cities have much in common. They are both comprised of tough, hard-working, blue-collar citizens. That's why it's not a surprise that both teams have always featured strong defenses that thrive in the cold and snowy conditions of the north. Their smashmouth football has always made these games physical, low-scoring affairs.
Just because Scott can admit the two teams have a begrudging respect for each other doesn't mean he is extending that respect to Queen. Like many of Queen's former teammates, Scott is none too happy that the former linebacker has switched sides.
"Every once in a while, you get a Judas, and a Judas is Patrick Queen," said Scott with a warning. "He went over to the dark side, and he's going to learn. He's going to mess around and find out this week. He's going to step on those train tracks with Derrick Henry."
Queen has been wearing the green dot for the Steelers defense this season, and while he got off to a bit of a slow start, he is gradually making a bigger impact. He had one of his best games of the season against the Washington Commanders.
This will be the first time Queen has faced his former team, and he has said that this game means just a little bit more to him. The game also means more to the two teams than the usual bragging rights. The Steelers are sitting at 7-2, a half-game above the 7-3 Ravens in the AFC North. While the Ravens have been odds-on favorites to win the division all season, the Steelers are surprising many and gradually earning respect.
Steelers' Patrick Queen Is The X-Factor
Scott mentioned that Queen will face "the King," running back Derrick Henry, when the Steelers and Ravens play. While Scott thinks that Henry will get the best of Queen, others feel differently.
Recently, Mark Kaboly, from The Pat McAfee Show, said that he believes Queen brings that "x-factor" to the game. Kaboly said the Steelers haven't had a player move as quickly as Queen does from sideline to sideline since Shazier.
Kaboly said that Queen is already one of the biggest trash-talkers on the team, and he thinks he will be that much more fired up for this game. He will be ready to show the Ravens what they missed out on.
