Patrick Queen's Revenge Game Against Ravens Shows Steelers They Got a Steal

Patrick Queen mostly has hid it well, but over the past week he's acknowledged his mood could be described as ornery toward his former employer over the past eight months.

Baltimore Ravens linebacker Patrick Queen mostly has hid his true feelings well, but over the past week he’s acknowledged his mood could be described as ornery toward his former employer.

The Ravens made no attempt to sign Queen when his contract expired this spring. He ended up signing with their biggest rival — the Pittsburgh Steelers.

For the first time, Queen faced the Ravens on Sunday, and he came out victorious.

“I thought … I would be a little more (ticked) off, (but) I woke up this morning and I didn’t feel any anger,” Queen said after a 18-16 Steelers win. “I just felt content with life and the game and just being where I’m supposed to be.”

Queen played like it, too, leading the Steelers with 10 combined tackles — including one for loss — in addition to a forced fumble and recovery late in the second quarter that led to a crucial three points for the Steelers.

That the effort came in a big rivalry game with first place on the line against his former team made it a special afternoon for Queen, a reigning second-team All-Pro inside linebacker.

“You dream about plays, and some days they don’t happen,” Queen said. “Everybody today was like, ‘You’re going to get one.’ This was my dad’s birthday, too, and he was like, ‘You’ve got to get me one.’ It’s just crazy how things work out.”

Coach Mike Tomlin tacitly acknowledged the importance of the game to Queen by telling him to join the Steelers’ captains at midfield for the pregame coin toss. He also awarded Queen a game ball after the game.

“It was great seeing him out there balling and doing what he doing, flying around,” fellow inside linebacker Elandon Roberts said of Queen. “But it’s not like it’s nothing nobody didn’t know.

“I think today he showed people the type of player he is.”

On a three-year, $41 million contract that is the richest the Steelers have given an external unrestricted free agent, Queen took over the team lead in tackles Sunday. He has the “green dot” to communicate with coaches during play and call the plays to the defense. He missed just one of the team’s 560 defensive snaps over the first nine games this season.

“One man’s trash is another man’s treasure” Tomlin said. “I’m glad he is on our team.”