The Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens have arguably the best rivalry in the NFL. That was never more evident than in the final game of the 2025 regular season. The Steelers and Ravens squared off in a battle for the AFC North title. Despite both teams having major issues, they played a competitive game that went down to the wire. Thankfully, the Steelers scored the game-winning touchdown with under a minute left. Corner Chidobe Awuzie got beat on that play, and that moment is part of the reason why he recently re-signed with Baltimore.
“There’s so much more to do here,” Awuzie said recently on the Ravens’ YouTube channel. “Obviously, how we ended last year, how I ended last year, big chip on my shoulder. And I could definitely sense the energy being here today, there’s a big chip on everybody’s shoulder.
“New coaching staff, I think they’re amazing so far. We have a little taste in our mouth from last year, but other than that, I think that being able to come back here gives us another opportunity to do something special.”
Awuzie slipped on that play after a good move by Calvin Austin III, allowing Aaron Rodgers to hit the Steelers receiver in stride for the score. It was an ugly rep for Awuzie, who’s been in the league since 2017.
Last year was Awuzie’s first season with the Ravens, and he re-joined them on a one-year, $5 million deal. He appeared in 14 games for last year, including five starts. While his last play of the season led to the Ravens missing the playoffs, he’s not the only one to blame for that.
The Ravens still had an opportunity to win the game. They drove down the field and put themselves in position to attempt a game-winning field goal. However, kicker Tyler Loop missed, causing even more heartbreak for Baltimore.
However, it sounds like that loss has lit a fire under the Steelers’ greatest rival. Like Pittsburgh, they Ravens have a brand-new coaching staff, led by first-time head coach Jesse Minter. Minter was previously the Los Angeles Chargers’ defensive coordinator, and he had a lot of success in that role. Therefore, he could give the Ravens’ defense a big boost.
Unfortunately for the Ravens, they’ve had a rough offseason so far. They’ve lost a a handful of key players to free agency, including starting center Tyler Linderbaum. Also, they backed out of their trade for star pass rusher Maxx Crosby. Adding edge rusher Trey Hendrickson wasn’t a bad move, but he’s not Crosby.
We’ll see if sparks fly when the Steelers and Ravens meet in 2026. Austin left Pittsburgh in free agency, so there won’t be a rematch from Week 18’s game-winning touchdown. However, both teams figure to still be fighting for the top spot in the division, so there should still be a lot of intensity.
Recommended for you