For the first time since he signed with Pittsburgh Steelers in free agency in the 2024 offseason, linebacker Patrick Queen will return to his old stomping grounds for a Week 16 matchup against Baltimore Ravens.
Of course, Queen was a first round pick by the Ravens in 2020 and spent the first four years of his career there. But the former No. 28 overall pick apparently did not receive an offer from Baltimore in 2024, prompting his departure.
“I wasn’t wanted back” said the queen before the Steelers’ first meeting with the Ravens in Week 11. “I didn’t get the offer back, and it’s definitely kind of upsetting to be there for four years and the bond that you grow with your teammates and stuff. The first few months, you definitely go through those emotions .
“Now after playing games you just go by and just want to win games,” he added. “You want to win with your teammates, your new teammates; you want to bond with these guys. Everything you do as far as the organization you’re in now. I’m going to have feelings. Obviously, anybody in my position would do that week, so I’m just taking it one day at a time, whatever happens happens.”
As Queen prepares to return to M&T Bank Stadium on Saturday, he’s not expecting a warm welcome.
“I’m probably going to get a lot of F-Us and boos and stuff, but at the end of the day, I wouldn’t have it any other way.” said the queen. “It’s football, it’s competition. It’s a high level of competitiveness, so I’m all for it.”
In the previous meeting with the Ravens, Queen had one of the biggest plays of the game, as he caused a fumble that led to the Steelers’ field goal that proved huge in a two-point victory.
While it appears the Ravens didn’t want him back, the fact that Queen is now with a hated rival will be enough for Baltimore fans to give him the deal as he returns to where he began his career. But it’s clear that Queen is up for it.
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