The Steelers are one of the NFL’s most storied franchises. As a result, they’ve been involved in several legendary rivalries, but no feud may be as great as the one against the Ravens. Even if some people don’t seem to have respect for it, the Steelers and Ravens rivalry is one of the NFL’s best, producing some of the greatest games of the last decade plus. Besides the Raiders of the 1970s, the Steelers may not have a greater rival in their long history. It’s almost like something from a different era, and one Tennessee Titans coach has some words to back that up.
Dennard Wilson is the current Titans defensive coordinator, but last year, he was the Ravens’ defensive backs coach. He’s also spent some time within other team’s organizations like the Bears, Eagles, and Jets, so he has a good deal of experience in the league. On a recent episode of Green Light with Chris Long, Wilson spoke about how unique the Ravens and Steelers rivalry is.
“The Baltimore-Pittsburgh rivalry is something I’ve never seen before, and I’ve been in multiple divisions,” Wilson said. “I’ve been in an old-school black and blue division with the Chicago Bears, being in the division with Philly and Dallas, the Pittsburgh-Baltimore rivalry is totally different. The first thing they say, you’re not a true Raven until you beat the Steelers. I mean, that’s huge, and it doesn’t matter how good the team is, what’s your record, when you line up against the Steelers, or Baltimore, it is a bloodbath. It’s old-school football, and I love it.”
Wilson only spent last year with the Ravens, so for him to say that about their rivalry with the Steelers speaks volumes. However, you could say he got the full experience even in just the two games the teams played during his time in Baltimore. The Ravens were one of the best teams in the league last year, and they had the MVP in Lamar Jackson, and yet, the Steelers won both matchups. Granted, Jackson and many other starters sat out the second game but considering how many issues the Steelers had last year, that’s still a huge accomplishment.
Just as well, both those games were decided by one score and went down to the wire, so Wilson saw first-hand how competitive both teams can be. The Ravens had Super Bowl aspirations and the Steelers were just hoping to make the playoffs, but both teams played like it was actually the Super Bowl. It’s a rivalry defined by both teams’ commitment to excellence, and everyone that’s involved recognizes that, even if they only experience it once or twice. The Ravens never beat the Steelers while Wilson was there either, so it seems he’ll have to come back to Baltimore some time if he wants to be a true Raven.
