New Steelers WR Miles Boykin Shares Why He Used to Hate Franchise

The former Ravens receiver had a pretty good reason to root against Pittsburgh.

Wide receiver Miles Boykin is switching sides in one of the NFL’s premier rivalries, going to the Steelers after playing for the Ravens since 2019.

In the 2019 draft, Pittsburgh chose to draft wide receiver Diontae Johnson over Boykin in the third round, allowing Boykin to fall to Baltimore. The wide receiver believed that the Steelers were considering him for that pick, making it easier for him to dislike the team when the Ravens took him.

“It was crazy because I thought the Steelers were going to draft me originally,” Boykin said, via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Brian Batko. “But when I got to Baltimore, it was like, ‘No, I hate Pittsburgh.’”

In Boykin’s three seasons with Baltimore, he totaled just 470 yards and seven touchdowns in 40 games. Baltimore waived him in the offseason, paving the way for the Steelers to claim him.

Despite just catching one pass for six yards last year, Boykin still believes he can contribute after a difficult 2021 season.

“Crazy injuries,” Boykin said. “Had a hamstring I pretty much dealt with the whole season, a finger injury I dealt with the whole season, but now I’m healthy and I’m ready to go.”

The Steelers’ first game vs. Baltimore isn’t until December, so Boykin will have to wait a while to potentially get revenge on his former team. However, he is going to have play his way onto a deep wide receiver depth chart first.

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