Steelers Great Ryan Clark Makes Shocking AFC North Super Bowl Prediction

Before Ryan Clark became a top NFL analyst and media personality, he was a key component of a Super Bowl winning Pittsburgh Steelers defense. Clark wasn't always the star of the show, however. Coming out of Louisiana State University, Clark was signed by the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2002. After two years in New York, he was able to gain the attention of the former Washington Redskins where he played two more seasons before ultimately being picked up by the Steelers in 2006. 

After 13 successful years in the NFL and a Super Bowl victory, Clark retired from the game in 2015. Fans didn't have to wonder for long about his next career move, as he announced that he'd be joining ESPN as an NFL analyst on the same day as his retirement. Since then, he's made a splash in the sports industry, winning the Outstanding Personality/Studio Analyst Emmy in May of 2023.

At his core, Clark encompasses what it means to be a member of the Steelers organization. He was known for his toughness, team mentality and devotion to the game. Part of this job description, of course, is partaking in the vicious and historic rivalry between the Steelers and Baltimore Ravens. 

Clark Makes Shocking Prediction About Steelers' Divisional Rival

Each year, the ESPY's award ceremony recognizes top male and female athletes of their respective sports. Wednesday, the ceremony gathered NFL players and analysts alike. At the event, Clark spoke with journalist Debby Emery regarding the outlook of the Ravens this upcoming season. Shockingly, he revealed that he expects his former AFC North rival to dominate the league. 

"My actual bold prediction is that the Baltimore Ravens will win the Super Bowl. I just think it's about who Lamar Jackson has been, without having help. So now you give him help. You give him a new offensive coordinator [in Todd Monken], and along with that, you have a defense that improves the entire season. I think they're going to be a scary team."

He's right when he calls his prediction bold. Prior to signing his record breaking five-year extension, one of the knocks on Jackson was that he hasn't been able to take the Ravens on a deep playoff run. The former MVP's playoff record is 1-3, with the sole victory against the Tennessee Titans in 2021.

One of the main rebuttals for this take was that Jackson has been running the show by himself in Baltimore. With a lack of offensive weapons and bad luck with injuries, the Ravens offense hasn't been as explosive as expected. This offseason, the Ravens had a heavy task at hand with signing Jackson all while accumulating top targets for the quarterback. 

Ultimately, these two tasks went hand-in-hand. After signing Odell Beckham Jr. in April, Jackson began to change his mindset about returning to Baltimore. In addition to Beckham Jr., the Ravens drafted Zay Flowers with the 22nd overall pick in the draft. These acquisitions along with Rashod Bateman nearly fully recovered from foot surgery completely transforms the Baltimore offense. 

Though the Ravens offense will see significant improvement, calling them the next Super Bowl champions is still ambitious. The AFC North alone is more competitive than ever. With the Cincinnati Bengals once again favorites, the Steelers up and coming and the Cleveland Browns heading into their first full season with Deshaun Watson, it could be anyone's game. 

If the Ravens do make it past the AFC North, they have the Buffalo Bills and reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs spearheading the conference. In recent years, these two teams have been nearly unstoppable led by top quarterbacks in Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes.

Is a Ravens Super Bowl victory a shocking take or a realistic prediction? Are the changes to their offense enough to transform the trajectory of the team? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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