Division rivalries are one of the great traditions in the NFL. The AFC North, in particular, has been particularly contentious over the years. All four teams have been relevant for a number of years now which makes things more interesting. That’s why it is so bizarre to see QB Joe Flacco, once a Super Bowl-winning quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens, now leading the way for the Cleveland Browns as they push toward the playoffs.
DT Cameron Heyward joined Good Morning Football on Thursday morning and was asked how weird it is to see Flacco in Cleveland and how it would feel to see one of his teammates do something similar.
“I’d be very confused. Having those great rivalries and then having a guy that you’ve played all those times going over to the other side. It’s that Darth Vader thing—you put on that cloak, everybody starts treating you differently. If I ever saw any of my teammates go to Cleveland, and Cincinnati, and Baltimore willingly I think I’d have a problem with it,” Heyward said with a laugh.
Of course, Heyward has had some teammates go to these rival teams willingly throughout his career. Some notable names include OLB James Harrison, who briefly went to play for the Bengals in 2013. There was also CB Mike Hilton, who left the Steelers in free agency following the 2020 season to go to Cincinnati, where he has played ever since. And what about Alejandro Villanueva? The former Army Ranger turned offensive tackle spent six seasons in Pittsburgh before finishing his career with a year in Baltimore.
There are more examples from the past. Guys like DB Carnell Lake and DB Rod Woodson enjoyed long careers in Pittsburgh before spending time with the Ravens in their final years. And perhaps an even more interesting name on the flipside of things: Larry Ogunjobi. He has now played for three of the four AFC North teams. The only division team he hasn’t played for is the Ravens.
Things can get messy in divisional play. Emotions run high and professional grudges can be formed. Ogunjobi, for example, was involved in the infamous Myles Garrett-Mason Rudolph helmet swing incident in 2019. He was one of the players ejected as he knocked down Rudolph following the helmet swing. Fast forward to 2023 and both players are in the same starting lineup in Pittsburgh. Again, things can get messy in switching teams between division rivals.
The reality is that the NFL is a business. If players don’t get offered a contract by their former team, they are then available to the highest bidder. If that highest bidder happens to be a division rival, it’s hard to turn down millions of dollars because of so-called loyalty.
Kyle Brandt then posed the question to Heyward: What if the Browns were to come calling in his final years? Would he turn down that contract?
“I already go to Cleveland enough because my wife is from there,” Heyward said. “I don’t need to keep going back.”
