The rivalry between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens is young by NFL standards. However, what it lacks in longevity, it makes up for in intensity. It feels as close to genuine hatred on a football field as you can get. That’s why it surprised a lot of people to see LB Patrick Queen (and S DeShon Elliott) sign with the Steelers after having played for the Ravens.
But how did it get started? Did it just grow organically? Well, according to Shannon Sharpe, he certainly had a hand in it.
“Me and the Steelers? How do you think the rivalry got so intense? Me!” Sharpe said on a recent Nightcap episode. “I called Plaxico Burress Plexi-Glass. I said, ‘Tell Plexi-Glass don’t worry about what we got, just catch the ball.'”
Sharpe only played for the Ravens for two seasons, 2000 and 2001, but he embraced trash-talking the Steelers. His first season in Baltimore coincided with Burress’ rookie season, and the 11th-year veteran didn’t take it easy on the Steelers first-round pick with the nickname and calling out Burress for the lack of catches.
Burress was targeted 65 times in 2000 but only came away with 22 catches for 273 yards and no touchdowns. The Ravens blanked the Steelers on opening day in a 16-0 win. Burress did have four catches for 77 yards but was unable to help his team find the end zone.
When the two teams met later in the season, the Steelers were able to claw out a 9-6 win in a traditional battle of the defenses. Oddly enough, Burress only had two catches for 16 yards.
Regardless of whether Sharpe’s trash-talking of Burress is the true genesis of the Steelers-Ravens rivalry, there’s no doubt that Sharpe did everything he could to rile up his opponent. If that helped shape a rivalry that we love today, so be it.
