Paul Zeise Q&A: Should Steelers Fans Ever Root for the Ravens for the Greater Good?
Welcome back to another edition of the weekly Paul Zeise Q&A, where Steelers fans ask the hard questions — about football, loyalty, logic, and occasionally their own sanity. This week’s most controversial topic cuts straight to the heart of Steelers fandom:
Should Steelers fans ever root for the Baltimore Ravens if it benefits Pittsburgh’s playoff chances?
Let’s get this out of the way first: emotionally, the answer is no. Spiritually, historically, and culturally, rooting for the Ravens feels wrong. It goes against decades of AFC North hatred, bruising rivalry games, and mutual disdain that defines what it means to be a Steelers fan.
But football isn’t played with emotions alone. It’s played with standings, tiebreakers, and cold, hard math.
And that’s where things get uncomfortable.
The Rivalry Reality
The Steelers–Ravens rivalry isn’t just another divisional matchup. It’s one of the most intense rivalries in professional sports. Fans aren’t conditioned to merely dislike Baltimore — they’re conditioned to never want to see the Ravens succeed, under any circumstance.
Rooting for Baltimore, even indirectly, feels like betrayal. It’s the sports equivalent of cheering for your sworn enemy because it helps you at work. It may make sense logically, but it still feels dirty.
So if you’re asking whether Steelers fans should feel good about rooting for the Ravens, the answer is simple: absolutely not.
The Standings Don’t Care About Feelings
Here’s the problem: the NFL playoff race doesn’t care about rivalries.
Late in the season, scenarios emerge where a Ravens win over another AFC team could directly help Pittsburgh — whether by knocking a competitor out of the wild-card race, improving tiebreaker scenarios, or locking in playoff positioning.
In those moments, Steelers fans face a brutal choice:
- Root emotionally
- Or root strategically
You don’t have to like it. You don’t even have to say it out loud. But sometimes, the most Steelers-friendly outcome involves Baltimore doing Pittsburgh a favor.
The “Temporary Truce” Rule
There’s an important distinction here that fans often overlook.
You are not rooting for the Ravens.
You are rooting against the team that threatens the Steelers more.
That’s not loyalty betrayal — that’s situational awareness.
If Baltimore beating, say, a conference rival directly increases the Steelers’ playoff odds, then from a purely football standpoint, it’s reasonable to want that result. You don’t celebrate it. You don’t wear purple. You simply acknowledge that it helps.
Think of it as a temporary ceasefire — not a friendship.
What Steelers Fans Actually Do
In reality, most Steelers fans handle this the same way:
- They say they’ll “never” root for the Ravens
- Then quietly check the scoreboard
- Then reluctantly admit the result helped
There’s no parade. There’s no joy. Just a nod and a quick pivot back to hoping Baltimore loses next week.
That’s fandom maturity.
The Bigger Picture
The Steelers’ goal isn’t to “beat the Ravens emotionally” in December. It’s to:
- Make the playoffs
- Win games in January
- Compete for championships
If a Ravens win in Week 16 increases the odds of Pittsburgh playing in the postseason, then refusing to accept that reality doesn’t make you more loyal — it just makes you less pragmatic.
The NFL is ruthless. Every edge matters.
Final Answer
So, should Steelers fans root for the Ravens?
Emotionally? Never.
Logically? Sometimes.
Publicly? Absolutely not.
You don’t cheer. You don’t clap. You don’t smile.
You simply accept that football is complicated, rivalries are eternal, and sometimes the worst team helps you by accident.
And the moment it stops helping the Steelers?
You go right back to rooting against Baltimore — as nature intended.
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