Signing Queen and Adding to the Former Raven Brotherhood
It was stated that they would destroy, not join, the Steelers. The Baltimore Ravens had a bittersweet day on Tuesday as they lost standout defensive player Patrick Queen and added outstanding running back Derrick Henry to their roster. The linebacker’s exit is extremely painful for Queen, who is expected to sign a contract with the Ravens’ bitter rivals, the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Twenty-three players have worn purple and black and black and yellow during at least one regular season game in the legendary history of the seemingly never-ending Ravens-Steelers rivalry. Queen, the 2020 first-round selection, is the latest addition to this odd group of players that includes both washouts and standouts, as shown below with some of the most iconic centerbacks of the riskiest matchups in football history.
LB James Harrison Steelers: 2003–04; 2004–12. Ravens: 2003–2004 Harrison only worked with the Ravens during the summers, therefore he was never an official member of the team. However, Harrison left the Steelers organization after two years and signed with the Ravens, using their logo while playing for the Rhein Fire in the 2004 NFL Europe season. Harrison performed well enough abroad to be given another chance with Pittsburgh, where he went on to establish himself as one of the iconic figures of hard-hitting, smashmouth football in the twenty-first century.
To the spinners of the Terrible Towel, Harrison’s discovery atop the Ravens’ de facto scrap heap only served to further endear him. KR/WR Jones, Jacob Ravens: 2012–14 Steelers: 2014 Since Jones was a Baltimore Super Bowl hero, his time with the Steelers seemed doomed from the beginning. In addition, he was forced to part with his number twelve, which he wore with the Ravens and the Houston Texans, as the number was retired in honor of Terry Bradshaw. Jones was added in the middle of the season following a brief stint with the San Diego Chargers.
He committed three fumbles in his four games in black and yellow, which resulted in his release at the end of the season. Jones had a brief comeback in indoor pursuits prior to his retirement from the Ravens in 2017. LB CARNELL LAKE Steelers: from 1989 to 1998 Ravens: the year 2001 It’s possible that Lake will go down as one of the original members of the legendary “Wait, He Played For the Ravens?!?!” squad. Reunited with several former teammates including defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis, Lake played his season on the veteran minimum in Charm City after spending ten years in Pittsburgh.
He was also named to the NFL’s official All-1990s Team. Come March 30, those who are still interested in Lake’s football career will have their wish granted as the five-time All-Pro is scheduled to begin his third season in the United Football League as the defensive coordinator for the Memphis Showboats. QB Kendall Stewart Steelers: from 1995 to 2002 Ravens: 2004–05 Perhaps a result of the “just make him a receiver” era, “Slash” was a passer ahead of his time until he solidified his position as a quarterback in 1997, when he recorded an unprecedented 32 touchdowns in his first season as a starter. Despite being named to the Pro Bowl in 2001, Stewart never reached those statistical benchmarks because of a revolving door in front of him, among other factors. After a brief stay in Chicago, he was eventually displaced by XFL star Tommy Maddox during the 2002 season, and he concluded his career in Baltimore.
Even though he was not at his peak, Stewart cemented his cult reputation in a 2004 victory over the New York Jets by assuming the role of an emergency punter. After pinning two within the opposition 20-yard line, he was unceremoniously named Special Teams Player of the Week. José Andrés Villanueva Steelers: from 2014 to 20 Ravens: 2021 Villanueva did three tours with the US Army’s 75th Ranger Regiment before starting a football career, which allowed him to serve as a defender in the truest sense of the word. Villanueva made a name for himself on the Steelers starting line despite arriving late, and he played one more season with a bird on each side of his helmet.
CB/S Rod Woodson Steelers: from 1987 to 1996 Ravens: from 1998 to 2001 Nobody played both sides and won more than Woodson, who undoubtedly made an impact on the Ravens and Steelers organizations. Woodson won Pittsburgh’s 1993 Defensive Player of the Year award before helping the Ravens go to Super Bowl XXXV. Currently, Woodson is among the top five interceptions for each club, and his 71 interceptions overall—which he also earned with San Francisco and Oakland—rank third in NFL history. As the gameday commentator for the Ravens on their radio broadcasts, Woodson is still involved in the rivalry today. DT WORMLEY, CHRIS Ravens: 2017–19Steelers: 2020–2022 Because he was the main yield in an uncommon exchange between the competitors, Wormley is a footnote in a unique history. In the end, it proved to be beneficial for all parties involved. Wormley, who played for the Carolina Panthers last season, recorded a career-high seven sacks in 2021, while the Ravens traded their 2020 fifth-round pick to Pittsburgh for ballhawk defensive Geno Stone.
