Ravens players kept saying they weren’t Ravens until achieving victory over the Steelers
“You’re not a Raven until you beat the Steelers.”
It was the sentiment spoken in the Ravens locker room all week as the team looked to break a four-game losing streak against their AFC North rival. Players expressed their frustration in not being ‘certified’ Ravens multiple years into their career in Baltimore, as the last win over Pittsburgh was in December 2019. But on Sunday, the Ravens snapped the skip in a 14-16 win and doing so by overcoming the loss of backup quarterback Tyler Huntley. After the game, players were asked if they feel like Ravens now, including defensive end Calais Campbell.
“It feels great. I’ve been hearing all week, ‘You’re not a Raven until you beat the Steelers.’ That meant something to me,” Campbell said. “I take great pride in just being in this rivalry, being a part of this team and seeing the guys that came before us, the old vets. Seeing ‘T. Suggs’ [Terrell Suggs] video, seeing Ray Lewis talk, just seeing all the highlight tapes and the good videos to get us ready for this game. I was getting chills down my back; I wanted to be a part of this. I’m glad that I can now call myself a Raven.”
Newly acquired linebacker Roquan Smith wanted to become a Raven right away, and he talked about it earlier in the week. According to Ravens Head Coach John Harbaugh, he celebrated it with teammates after the game.
“Roquan talked about it when he talked to the team after the game. That’s kind of their deal,” Harbaugh said. “So, I appreciate that, and I sure respect it. I think it’s a very valid, valuable thing.”
Smith, who was a big art of the win with a sack and red zone interception on former teammate turned Steelers quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, shared his emotions on the win with his new team.
“It’s no other way I’d rather have it. [We] fought a lot of adversity throughout the game,” Smith said. “But that’s what makes everyone special and how you respond once you face it. And we faced it. [There’s] no other way of winning that, and it was in Ravens fashion. So, I’m just happy to be here.”
Along with Smith was linebacker Patrick Queen nabbing a red zone interception. Earlier in the week, Queen shared how didn’t feel feel like a Raven yet, having gone winless against them in four contests. After the game, he took a moment to savor the win, but he’s not accepting that as good enough.
“Yeah, I feel like a Raven for sure,” Queen said. “I think that just solidified it but now like I just said, it’s time to move on to the next one and the next time we play them stack another one. My record’s still not where I want it to be [against] them.”