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Why The Steelers Are The Ravens Biggest Rival

By Chris Schisler

Dec 27, 2015; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith (22) intercepts Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) (not pictured) pass intended for wide receiver Antonio Brown (84) during the fourth quarter at M&T Bank Stadium. Baltimore Ravens defeated Pittsburgh Steelers 20-17. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 27, 2015; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith (22) intercepts Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (7) (not pictured) pass intended for wide receiver Antonio Brown (84) during the fourth quarter at M&T Bank Stadium. Baltimore Ravens defeated Pittsburgh Steelers 20-17. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Ravens Biggest Rival Is The Steelers, But the Patriots are clearly second on that list.

Make no mistake the Baltimore Ravens have no rival bigger than the Pittsburgh Steelers. The New England Patriots are also rivals with the purple and black. What makes the Steelers the Ravens arch-enemy; what makes that rivalry different?

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The Ravens earned the rivalry of the Patriots. The Ravens have been one of the few teams to have playoff success against Tom Brady and the Patriots. When the Ravens go to Foxboro, the Patriots home advantage (which is statistically amazing) is meaningless. Its a good bet that the Ravens will kick down the doors and push the Patriots to the brink of elimination (at the minimum).

The Ravens resent the Patriots. The Patriots are the poster boy, front-runners with the arrogance and snottiness of a rich kid who gets everything given to him.

The Patriots resent the Ravens because they push them. The Ravens push the Patriots to Tom Brady’s tear ejecting doomsday. The Ravens stand in their way. Terrell Suggs is not going to kiss Brady’s rings. Heck, Suggs won’t even call him by his name; he’s number 12.

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The Steelers rivalry is just there. Pittsburgh is in such close proximity to Baltimore, that the rivalry is inescapably present. The rivalry is always in your face. The rivalry is therefore chippy and hostile, 365 days a year.

Ravens vs. Steelers is like Zeus and  Poesiden battling to the death. It’s close proximity, division rivals with a history of the most violent games in an incredibly violent sport. It’s personal. Losing makes the next day unbearable and winning makes it joyful.

But more than anything, winning is relief. When the Ravens win, the fans of our arch nemesis, have to watch it until the next battle. Losing to the Steelers hurts much worse than losing to any other team. Ravens fans and Steelers fans are a huge reason this rivalry is so contentious.

The Patriots, Ravens and Steelers are perhaps the three most successful franchises of the last 20 seasons. The Patriots have four Super Bowls in that time. While Steelers fans brag about their 6 Super Bowls, they have the same amount as the Ravens since they’ve been around (2). The Ravens have two more playoff wins than the Steelers since 2000.

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So the Ravens main rivalries have been against the giants of the game. With the Patriots it’s a nasty clash. With the Steelers it’s an all out war. The biggest difference is respect. The Ravens and Steelers despise one another with complete vigor, but both teams know the might of their counterpart. Almost every battle between Baltimore and Pittsburgh has been a tight battle, down to the wire.

The Ravens know that their games against the Steelers often define their season. The Steelers know the Ravens are their biggest rival, no matter what their fans say. When a Pittsburgh fan claims the Browns are their biggest rivals, they’re experiencing complete denial.

Jan 3, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Baltimore Ravens outside linebacker Terrell Suggs (55) intercepts a pass against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second half during the 2014 AFC Wild Card playoff football game at Heinz Field. The Ravens won 30-17. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 3, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Baltimore Ravens outside linebacker Terrell Suggs (55) intercepts a pass against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second half during the 2014 AFC Wild Card playoff football game at Heinz Field. The Ravens won 30-17. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /

The relationship between the Steelers and Ravens is kind of wrapped up in the relationship between Suggs and Ben Roethlisberger. Ben has admitted that nobody hits him harder than Suggs.

Suggs has famously said “God can have his soul, but his ass belongs to me.” And while Suggs won’t refer to Tom Brady as anything but his number, he calls the Steelers number 7 “Big Ben.” They don’t like each other but they respect each other.

That makes it mean more. The Patriots have their heads in the clouds. They have deep rivalries between the Jets, Bills and Dolphins. They see the Ravens as a pesky annoyance.

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When Brady defiantly told Baltimore to read the rule book, he showed that he had little respect for his Ravens. Beating Brady and Co. is rewarding. Nobody needs humble pie more than the Patriots. But a great rivalry has contentious respect, not just a contentious nature.

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The proximity of Baltimore and Pittsburgh, the devotion of the fans (on both sides) and the contentious and hostile respect (of both teams) makes the Ravens and Steelers a rivalry on a whole different level.

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