During the prime of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ modern era, national media often framed New England as the franchise’s ultimate foil. However, former head coach Mike Tomlin recently put that debate to rest, clarifying that his competitive disdain was always directed much closer to home.
Appearing on “The Dan Patrick Show,” Tomlin made it clear that while Bill Belichick’s New England Patriots commanded immense professional respect, the Baltimore Ravens were the true target of his rawest competitive intensity.
When asked directly whether he hated the Patriots or the Ravens more during his 19-year run in Pittsburgh, Tomlin offered a prompt response.
"Oh, certainly the Ravens," Tomlin said. "And just because of the intimacy of it, it starts in your division."
While postseason clashes against Tom Brady and New England defined key conference championships, Tomlin emphasized that divisional combat forms the foundational identity of a team’s season. The physical, twice-a-year battles against Baltimore carried a level of familiarity and stakes that out-of-conference rivalries simply could not match.
"Before you can dominate the AFC in the NFL, you got to dominate the division, and certainly we've been in close quarters with those guys a lot over the years," Tomlin explained.
That proximity fueled one of the most violent and hard-fought rivalries in modern sports history. In contrast, Tomlin held no lingering malice toward New England, viewing those epic matchups through a lens of admiration rather than hostility.
"Oh yeah, man, you know, I respect certainly what they were able to do and love competing against them, for sure," Tomlin added.
Tomlin’s distinction provides a clear peek into a head coach's mindset. While national storylines favor dynasty matchups, true football rivalries are forged in the grinding, intimate trenches of divisional play.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Mike Tomlin settles debate on Steelers' ultimate AFC rival team
