Seeing a player leave for a rival as new Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Patrick Queen did in free agency can be quite painful for the fan base — in this case Baltimore’s — generating some strong feelings regarding that player not to mention the rival team.
But for players, that rivalry angle might not matter all that much. Especially in Queen’s case.
According to former NFL defensive back and LSU product Jalen Collins, the rivalry angle within professional sports from the players side of the things isn’t all that serious. It’s a business.
During an appearance on the “Players Choice” show on YouTube, Collins shot down the rivalry angle from the players’ perspective, which matters since Collins spent four seasons in the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons and Indianapolis Colts and another three seasons in the CFL with Toronto and Edmonton.
“I’ll say this for the players. Not unless you like grew up in it and it’s in your blood as a fan. Like, once you become a player and you are actually on these teams, you don’t give a fuck about none of that,” Collins said regarding the rivalry angle from a player’s perspective. “If I was playing with this team for a few years and we’ve been playing with them and they got some of the same guys and the team ain’t really changed, then yes, it might be a little bit, but that’s more for like the fans and the drama of football. But once you get on these teams, you don’t really care. I know P Queen don’t give a fuck. He got another paycheck, and he got another opportunity to go out there and play some more football. Yes, I’m playing against the old organization, but like as a fan…you might feel a little more passion behind that or whatever, but like as a player, bro, that shit is really not that serious, bro.”
That’s not the first time we’ve heard that perspective from a player regarding rivalries in professional sports, and it darn sure won’t be the last time.
That might be painful for fans to read, but it’s the truth.
The rivalry stuff matters a bit more in college because there is more pride on the line. At least, there used to be. NIL stuff might be changing that for good moving forward.
But in the NFL, some of that has really changed over the years, especially as the generations change. There’s more respect and camaraderie among players across the league, regardless of where a guy plays. Social media has helped players connect and develop friendships and relationships like never before. What jerseys they wear and organizations they play for isn’t all that serious to them, especially when it comes to making financial decisions.
Queen isn’t the only one recently. Running back Saquon Barkley left the New York Giants in free agency to sign with the Philadelphia Eagles, which generated quite a bit of public backlash from fans and some media in the New York market. Heck, even Queen caught some flack from Baltimore media for his move to Pittsburgh. That was expected though. The players? They don’t exactly worry about that.
Unless, of course, you’re Marlon Humphrey.
Patrick Queen isn’t the first one to change sides within the Steelers-Ravens rivalry. He won’t be the last, either.
It happens. The NFL is a business, and when two teams are built very similarly historically, they’re going to be interested in the same players. That’s how it goes.
