The Pittsburgh Steelers have several rivalries throughout the NFL. The obvious ones come from within the AFC North, although it is hard to take the Cincinnati Bengals or Cleveland Browns serious at times. Pittsburgh and the Baltimore Ravens have a pure hatred for one another, although there is also a certain level of mutual respect between the two organizations. This feeling stems from the classic battles the two franchises went through during the 2000s and early-2010s, and the fact that the two sides have the two longest-tenured coaches in the NFL -- which also helps enrich the rivalry.
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Baltimore Ravens Head Coach John Harbaugh (left) and Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin (right) talk on the field prior to a competitive matchup in Pittsburgh, PA.
The games between Baltimore and Pittsburgh are often vicious, and that was even more true back in the day. The two defenses were consistently trying to strike fear into the opposing team, and players like Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs helped do that. Both defenses made life hard on the opposing team's offensive lines. Max Starks played on that unit upfront for the Steelers for quite a while, and he eventually moved to left tackle where he was responsible for Suggs on most plays. During a recent sit-down conversation with his former teammates, Starks revealed what Suggs had to say about his skills at left tackle.
"I'll never forget, one of the best compliments I ever got from him was actually after I got cut," Starks said. "The 2011 lockout year. Y'all were playing them, Week 2 or Week 3 that year, and I remember I saw this clip. Somebody sent it to me and he was like, 'The best thing Mike Tomlin could have done was get rid of that dude Max Starks, 'cause he gave me h*ll the entire time.' So he was complimenting me and I mean listen, we fought every time we played each other. It was a problem."
Starks was released by Pittsburgh prior to the 2011 season, but he eventually signed back with the team in October. Suggs was stating that Head Coach Mike Tomlin made a mistake releasing Starks when the two sides played earlier in the 2011 season because Starks always held his own against the outside linebacker. There is a chance Tomlin agreed, as Starks was back on the roster relatively quickly.
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Former Steelers lineman Max Starks celebrating in the rain at Heinz Field.
Starks was never a Pro Bowl-caliber player, but he was a mainstay on the offensive line in Pittsburgh when the team was able to go to three Super Bowls and win two of them. He often held his own against the league's top pass-rushers like Suggs, which is a reason he was so well-respected. The organization initially drafted him in the third round of the 2004 NFL Draft, and he played until he was released before the 2011 season. That's when he signed back with the team in October of 2011, and played with Pittsburgh through 2012.
The offensive lineman went on to have short stints with the San Diego Chargers, St. Louis Rams, and Arizona Cardinals, but he couldn't stick anywhere. He wound up retiring after the 2014 season.
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Former Steelers lineman Max Starks blocks Demarcus Ware during a game against the Dallas Cowboys.
Steelers Watched Max Starks Turn His Career Around
Starks became a starter during the 2005 season, a year in which Pittsburgh went on to win Super Bowl XL. However, he was replaced in the starting lineup in 2007. This is the time when he moved to left tackle, which is where he stayed over the rest of his career for the Steelers. Pittsburgh went on to win the Super Bowl again during the following season, with Starks starting at left tackle. He carved out a nice career for himself with the Steelers, and he will always be remembered fondly due to the amount of success the team had during his tenure.
What do you think about Starks' story about Suggs calling out Tomlin for releasing him? Let us know in the comments below!
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