The Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens have one of the greatest rivalries in NFL history. While it might not have the history that some other rivalries have, it’s full of intensity. When those two teams meet, they always give it their all, no matter how good or bad they are. Even in retirement, players who were part of that rivalry still hold on to those feelings. Former Ravens offensive lineman Mike Flynn recently displayed that.
“Hateable, very hateable,” Flynn said recently on the YouTube channel Recruiting Board. “Very hateable team, very hateable city, very hateable fan base. I still dislike them. I like seeing them lose more than the Ravens win. A lot of that has to do with we lost a lot of tough games to them and still do.
“It was never a rivalry until, finally, in 2000, when we finally bit back. We won in Three Rivers Stadium for the first time in Ravens history. Then it became a rivalry, and it got nasty. You name it, fights in the field, fights going out to the bus. They were great to play in. I do miss that.”
That’s the kind of hatred that should be expected from someone who was heavily involved in those matchups. Flynn was in the trenches with the Ravens from 1997 to 2007, so he played in some of the most brutal games between Baltimore and Pittsburgh.
Flynn is also correct that, initially, it wasn’t much of a rivalry. In the 1990s, the Steelers were 6-2 against the Ravens. However, after that, things got far more competitive. In the 2000s, during Flynn’s career with the Ravens, the series was actually split 8-8 in regular-season games. There was also a playoff meeting between the Steelers and Ravens in there, with Pittsburgh coming out on top.
Things haven’t gotten any less competitive between these two teams, either. While the Steelers had been dominating the Ravens lately, Baltimore struck back last year by defeating the Steelers twice, once in the regular season and once in the playoffs. Neither of those games were particularly close, and the Steelers are likely itching to get their revenge.
Despite all of that bad blood, it seems like Flynn can still appreciate the love that Steelers fans have for their favorite team.
“Steelers fans, don’t get me wrong, they travel great,” he said. “They are as good as you can get for fans.”
While both teams don’t like each other, there’s usually a level of respect between them. That likely comes from both of them being championship contenders in the AFC throughout the last few decades. Their games are physical, but it’s in the name of being the best. This year, fans will get at least two more chapters in this storied rivalry. Hopefully, things go better for the Steelers than they did last year.
