It’s been less than a year since the trade that sent Roquan Smith from the Chicago Bears to the Baltimore Ravens.
But when it comes to the Ravens’ rivalry with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the All-Pro linebacker is already fitting right in.
Talking to reporters ahead of Baltimore’s Week 5 matchup against Pittsburgh, Smith spoke about the importance of the AFC North matchup. And in doing so, the Georgia product made a strong statement about what it means to beat the Steelers and the importance of doing so on an annual basis.
“I’m not a Raven this year until I beat Pittsburgh,” Smith said according to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. “I take great pride being a Raven. I want to earn that right, as well.”
For what it’s worth, Smith has already been a part of one Baltimore win over Pittsburgh, as he recorded five tackles, one of which came for a loss, one interception and two pass defenses in a 16-14 victory in Week 13 last season. The Steelers, however, returned the favor in Week 16, beating the Ravens 16-13 in Baltimore.
While Smith already lays claim to one win over Pittsburgh as a Raven, his point seems to be that it’s something that needs to be done year in and year out. The 2017 Butkus Award winner is also no stranger to making bold claims about AFC North opponents, which he also did ahead of Baltimore’s Week 4 win over the Cleveland Browns.
“At the end of the day, you’re considered the bad guy because you’re going into essentially another man’s house, and you’re trying to take over,” Smith told reporters. “His wife, kids, everyone is there to watch them. So, we’re going over there to beat their tails in front of their wife and kids.”
Having signed a five-year, $100 million contract extension with Baltimore last offseason, the 26-year-old figures to be a staple of the Ravens’ AFC North rivalries for years to come.
