Chuck Clark has spent most of his NFL career on the Ravens’ side of the Steelers-Ravens rivalry, but he knows the drill. After six years’ worth of such games, he has an intimate knowledge of what to expect. After two years in the AFC East, he is with the Steelers and ready to return to AFC North ball.
“Ravens-Pittsburgh games was tough, physical games”, Clark said, via the Steelers’ website. “I just remember days after those games everybody being beat up. Tough football games. I know what it is with those games”.
Clark isn’t alone in his description of Steelers-Ravens games, of course, as it’s the token response. The games, quite frankly, are not as physical as they once were, and that’s only partly due to the rules. Some players like Clark’s former Ravens teammate, DeShon Elliott, still know how to hit within the parameters.
But both sides want to rediscover their physicality, not just in Steelers-Ravens games but on the whole. Another of Clark’s former Ravens teammates, Marlon Humphrey, admitted that the Steelers don’t fear them anymore.
The Steelers and Ravens are still arguably the most “feared” teams in the league, but that fear has tempered considerably. There are some players like Clark who have an old-school mentality, and they’re more common in the AFC North. It’s not the same as 20 years ago, but then again, the NFL isn’t the same.
You can only play in the NFL of today, and within today’s NFL, and Chuck Clark knows the Steelers and Ravens remain the gold standard for physicality. “Definitely [and AFC North football]. That’s just been me”, he said of himself. “I was in that conference for the longest [time], so I’m definitely a tough football player, and I know what this conference is about”.
Chuck Clark started 63 of 96 games for the Ravens between 2017 and 2022, many against the Steelers, of course. In his last three seasons there, he logged 3,183 snaps, every one for Baltimore, in the toughest division.
Following changes in the starting lineup in 2023, the Ravens traded Clark to the Jets, and then he tore his ACL. Now with the Steelers, he believes he is back to his pre-injury form, having also recovered from a pectoral injury.
Right now, though, Clark is just trying to join his fellow former Ravens on the Steelers’ roster. They signed him two days into training camp, though he managed to hop on the moving train. He has already earned multiple shoutouts from HC Mike Tomlin, so he’s off to a good start. But there’s no guarantee he even makes the roster, let alone claims a starting job. At least we know if he does, he’ll know how to approach Ravens Week.
