The Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens have one of the fiercest rivalries in the NFL. The two teams have had some classic matchups over the years. While they both aren’t as good this year as they’ve been in years past, they’re still fighting for the AFC North crown. They both have the same record, but the Ravens hold the tiebreaker, leaving them in first place for now. However, they play this weekend. The Ravens often like to say that a player isn’t a Raven until they beat the Steelers, but safety Alohi Gilman is sick of hearing it.

“I’ve been told that I’m not a Raven yet until I beat the Steelers, probably too much times at this point,” Gilman said Wednesday via the team’s website. “It’s getting ingrained in me… It’s averaging about nine per day. One more day of nine, I’m about to fight at this point. I’m tired of hearing it. We’re gonna go do it. I’ve just gotta go do what I gotta do. I’m happy to be a part of it.”

Gilman only joined the Ravens this year, being acquired via an in-season trade. He had been with the Los Angeles Chargers since 2020, originally being a sixth-round pick by them.

He’s been a quality contributor since getting to Baltimore, though. Gilman has started all seven games that he’s been with the Ravens, recording pass defenses, one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, and 34 tackles. While the Ravens’ defense has been struggling, Gilman has been a steady presence.

Also, he’s got a lot of confidence that his team will win this week. That’s fair, given how the Steelers played last week. They got crushed by the Buffalo Bills, and they were unable to stop the run. That could put them in trouble against the Ravens, who have Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson.

However, the Ravens aren’t perfect, either. They’re also coming off a disappointing loss. They got blown out by the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 13. Jackson hasn’t looked like himself recently, and the Ravens’ defense isn’t great.

That could open a lane for the Steelers to win. They’ve made plenty of Baltimore players wait to become “actual Ravens” in the past. Before last year, they were 7-1 against the Ravens since 2020. For most of that time, the Ravens were Super Bowl contenders, while the Steelers were in a reloading phase.

We’ll see if Gilman can earn his wings as a Raven this week. His team is heavily favored to win. The winner will be in the driver’s seat in the AFC North, which adds even more stakes.