Steelers Now
PITTSBURGH — A loss on Sunday night could prompt major changes for the Pittsburgh Steelers or Baltimore Ravens. For either, that might involve cutting ties with their longtime head coaches.
Inside linebacker Patrick Queen joined Mike Tomlin’s team as a free agent before last season. He played for John Harbaugh’s Ravens for four go-rounds before that. Having seen how both guys guide their crews, Queen said he has nothing but respect for both. He also believes any blame for shortcomings shouldn’t fall squarely on them.
“Playing for both coaches, I can say from those two taking criticism this year, those two guys are extremely hard-working guys,” Queen said Wednesday. “They care about each and every single play on their team. Every single day, they come in with the best mindset to be able to prepare their team for whatever challenges they face ahead.
“I think a lot of the criticism is kind of (unwarranted), because a lot of times, it’s on the players’ shoulders. … Sometimes it could be coaching-related, but for the most part, we go out there and perform.”
Queen has taken note of both coaches’ organization and preparation. Both have steered their teams to a Super Bowl title, but haven’t been able to make it back since. Queen feels that both are zeroed in on changing that, not paying attention to outside noise.
“I think, at the end of the day, just hearing the outside noise about both of the coaches and stuff, it’s just something that I think they (couldn’t) care less about,” Queen said. “I think their mindset is, ‘Win this game, and I ain’t got nothing to worry about.'”
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Patrick Queen Fires Back at Bashers of Tomlin and Harbaugh
