Jan. 2, 2026, 11:31 a.m. ET
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Patrick Queen knows that defeating the Baltimore Ravens in week 18 won’t be easy. While Queen has attempted to disguise his covert quarrel, a plethora of quotes suggests that his duty this Sunday will be to finalize a vendetta, whether he admits it or not.
Queen passed on his opportunity to rejoin the Ravens in their quest for redemption after the 2024 AFC Championship. The Ravens loss 17-10 to the Kansas City Chiefs in a game where numerous offensive turnovers and questionable play calling by Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken afforded the Chiefs a whopping time of possession of 37:22. Queen vividly remembers all 73 defensive snaps, the seven solo tackles he made in the game and the aimless apologies Ravens head coach John Harbaugh made to the fans. Then, Queen watched the Ravens tumble yet again versus the Buffalo Bills in the 2025 AFC Divisional round last winter.
Still, Queen’s departure hasn’t totally led to prosperity either. The Steelers are 9-7, and they had an opportunity to slam the door on the Ravens in week 18 and did not, losing 13-6 to the Cleveland Browns. Now, the Queen and the Steelers will have to deal with running back Derrick Henry in the blistering cold of January weather, with hopes that they will have enough gumption to fend off their rivals.
Ultimately, the Ravens have continued to underachieve, and Queen’s subtle condescension better be backed by superior effort in week 18. If not, Ravens’ fans and former teammates will be forced to meet him with a grin of glory and an indirect recollection of his betrayal of the very franchise that helped him blossom into the player he is today.
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