From wanting to fight Tomlin to wanting to play for him, Queen: Team is ‘a perfect fit’
Four years after his now infamous run-in with Mike Tomlin during his rookie season in 2020, linebacker Patrick Queen officially crossed state lines in the Steelers-Ravens rivalry on Friday morning when he signed his new contract.
When he was asked why he left Baltimore to play for the Steelers, Queen pointed to Tomlin and said: “That man right there.”
But the love was once hate. In Baltimore, you’re not officially a Raven until you beat the Steelers, and Tomlin let Queen known that when he ended up on the Steelers sideline as a young 20-year old rookie.
“I wanted to fight him right then and there,” Queen said, drawing laughs from Tomlin and general manager Omar Khan, who attended the news conference.
The NFL isn’t going to release the 2024 schedule until May, but the two games between the Steelers and Ravens are going to be circled by the players in Baltimore. A few players have switched sides of this rivalry over the years, but Queen is probably the most accomplished.
Queen was named secondteam All-Pro last season and was lured by the Steelers with a three-year, $41 million contract.
When the news broke earlier this week, his old teammates were in shock. Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey said on X: “This actually hurts me.”
Yes, the rivalry runs deep, and Queen is embracing being on the other side of it.
“It’s going to be weird, but I want to be the villain,” Queen said. “I want to be that guy.”
The Steelers want Queen to be “that guy” in the middle of their defense. The $41 million deal is the richest free agent contract in franchise history, and it comes at a time when the Steelers desperately need a stabilizing force at the position.
Cole Holcomb, who signed a three-year, $18 million free agent deal last March, suffered a severe knee injury in November, and it does not appear he’s going to be able to resume his duties as the three-down linebacker on the Steelers defense.
Queen brings a strong pedigree. In four seasons with the Ravens. he never missed a start and is coming off a season in which he amassed a career-high 133 tackles.
He’ll be paired alongside veteran Elandon Roberts, who played well in his first season with the Steelers in 2023.
Queen doesn’t plan to ease his way into his new role, either. He wants to be one of the leaders of a defense that already includes other current and former All-Pros in T.J. Watt, Cam Heyward and Minkah Fitzpatrick.
“That should be Day 1,” Queen said of his role as a leader. “I don’t think there’s time to wait. When I step in, I have to be that guy. That’s why I came here — to be that guy. That’s going to be a natural step for me. I don’t have to step out of my comfort zone or anything. That will naturally flow.”
That goes for his new relationships, too. Queen said his most-despised Steeler when he played with the Ravens was running back Jaylen Warren. “I personally hated him,” Queen said. Now they’ll share a locker room and an occasional matchup on the practice field.
As for his new coach, it’s gone from fighting words to mutual admiration. Last season, Tomlin spoke glowingly about Queen’s game before one of the tilts against the Ravens. He’s had his eye on bringing Queen to the Steelers for some time.
“From being chewed out to actually getting to talk to him, this is the place I’m supposed to be,” Queen said. “I’m right where I want to be. I’m where I’m wanted.”