Steelers' Mike Tomlin Has Unique Relationship With Ravens WR

The Ravens matchup is more personal than usual for the Pittsburgh Steelers' head coach.

Nov 3, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers (4) runs after the catch during the second half against the Denver Broncos at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers face the Baltimore Ravens, their fiercest rival, on Nov. 17 at 1 p.m. The AFC North crown is on the line, which is nothing new for the best rivalry in football. The Steelers sit alone atop the division with a 7-2 record. But the Steelers already had their bye week, meaning the Ravens sitting at 7-3 are a win on Sunday away from taking the pole position.

The Steelers have yet to play a single divisional game -- the latest a team has ever waited to see a divisional opponent. That means the Steelers-Ravens game starts a four-game gauntlet against divisional opponents. The Ravens, however, have a 2-1 division record with two wins over the Cincinnati Bengals and a loss to the Cleveland Browns.

The Ravens offense is on fire all season and has the front-runner for the MVP and Offensive Player of the Year awards in quarterback Lamar Jackson and newly acquired running back Derrick Henry. Jackson is on pace for 4,493 passing yards, 42 total touchdowns and four interceptions, all career-bests. Although it wouldn't beat his record from 2019, Jackson is also on pace to rush for 954 yards. Henry has already recorded 1,120 yards on the ground and 14 total touchdowns.

While the Ravens roster two of the best runners in the league in their backfield, their second year wide receiver Zay Flowers has had a monster year as well. Flowers was the 22nd overall pick in the 2023 draft out of Boston College -- a school that Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has a special relationship with. Dino Tomlin, Tomlin's son, was a redshirt junior wide receiver on the 2022 Golden Eagles with Flowers. Flowers led Boston College that season with 78 catches for 1,077 yards and 12 touchdowns.

"Zay Flowers is spectacular at wideout obviously," Tomlin said in his weekly press conference. "I'm really familiar with Zay man. I saw just about every game he played in his last year in college because my son was on his team. [Zay's] talents are special. His ability to separate. His run after [the catch], his competitive spirit, his general playmaking. He can make plays in a lot of ways. [The Ravens] distribute the ball to him in a lot of ways.

Tomlin even got to see what Flowers could do in Acrisure Stadium -- a performance sure enough to make Tomlin a fan. In 2020, Boston College visited Pittsburgh to play Pitt. In a 31-30 overtime win, Flowers caught six passes for 162 yards and three touchdowns, including a 77-yard touchdown on the second play of the second half.

While almost impossible to replicate that level of success in the NFL, Flowers has come close against AFC North opponents. In three divisional games, Flowers has recorded 36% of his catches (18), and 37.8% of his yards (260) with two 100-yard games.

As the Ravens sat many of their starters in week 18 against the Steelers last season, the upcoming game is only the second time Tomlin and the Steelers have seen Flowers with both occurrences at Acrisure Stadium. In the first game, Flowers had five catches for 73 yards. But Tomlin watched enough of the talented wide out in college and has seen his ability against professionals even if those pros don't dawn black and gold.

"Zay Flowers, can't say enough about him," Tomlin said last season. "Dynamic player. Not surprised that he's having the type of success that he's having. I've personally seen a lot of him."

Tomlin has paid nothing but respect to the Ravens since their comeback victory over the Commanders last week. While Commanders' quarterback Jayden Daniels is dynamic and Jackson is the easiest comparison, Tomlin knows that Jackson is in a tier of his own.

The first edition of Steelers-Ravens of the 2024 season is the 37th meeting between Tomlin and Ravens head coach John Harbaugh, the second most meetings of any two coaches behind only Chicago's George Halas and Green Bay's Curly Lambeau with 49 times between 1921-53. Considering the two head coaches' constant success, that record is certainly in play.

But the 37th edition comes first and the Steelers have to contain Flowers, Jackson and every other explosive the Ravens can create.

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