Steelers’ Juan Thornhill Made 1 Thing Clear on Ravens: ‘I Promise You’
The Pittsburgh Steelers hold a three-game lead in the loss column over the Baltimore Ravens entering Week 6. But the betting odds still have the Ravens as the favorite in the AFC North despite a 1-4 start. Steelers safety Juan Thornhill stopped short of calling the Ravens the division favorite. But he strongly agreed the Steelers haven’t heard the last of Baltimore during 2025.
Thornhill made that very clear while seemingly putting his teammates and Steelers Nation on notice Tuesday.
“I really don’t want anybody to think that the Ravens are done. They aren’t done. I promise you that,” Thornhill told Steelers insider Mark Kaboly. “I’ve seen them enough, and I have played enough ball to know.
“They have a lot of guys injured right now, and a lot of bad things happening for them, but once they figure it out, I guarantee they are not done.
“By the time we play them, they will be back to form.”
To Thornhill’s point, it’s still a long time until arguably the greatest rivalry in the AFC renews itself in 2025.
The Steelers will have their first matchup with the Ravens during Week 14 on December 7. That showdown will take place at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.
The two AFC North foes will meet again in the season finale at Acrisure Stadium during the first weekend of January.
Steelers’ Juan Thornhill Suggests Ravens Will Bounce Back
Thornhill spoke like a true veteran while addressing the status of the Ravens.
While five weeks is getting to be more than a small sample, it’s still early in the 2025 season. There’s a long way to go. Although the Steelers have played well, they aren’t running away with the division just yet.
And with an extra game and the extra playoff team the NFL installed early this decade, the Ravens have enough time to climb out of their hole. All they might have to do is get healthy.
Even if it gets too late in the year for the Ravens to recover, they could still be healthy for their matchups against the Steelers. Because of the hatred in the rivalry, the Ravens are likely to give the Steelers a difficult game regardless of whether something is on the line for them.
Last season, the Steelers were 10-3 and in first place of the AFC North after Thanksgiving. But the Ravens won the division in part because of a Pittsburgh four-game losing streak.
A lot can change quickly in the NFL.
Thornhill is in his first season with the Steelers. So, he wasn’t part of the team’s 2024 collapse. But he’s been in the AFC North long enough to know how resilient the Ravens are.
The past two seasons, Thornhill started 11 games for the Cleveland Browns.
Thornhill Providing Steelers Key Veteran Experience
The 29-year-old has only started one game this season. However, it’s pretty clear Thornhill is giving the Steelers quality snaps along with veteran experience.
Thornhill is ranked seventh on the Steelers defense with 198 snaps. Although they play different positions, that’s just one behind All-Pro defensive lineman Cameron Heyward.
Thornhill has played a lot in part because of the two-game absence of DeShon Elliott. But while Elliott returned in Week 4, Thornhill still played 50 defensive snaps on September 28.
The 29-year-old is third in the Steelers secondary in snaps. He also plays on special teams.
All of that is important, but maybe not as much as Thornhill’s message to his teammates. Nothing is over in the AFC North, especially with the Ravens.
Practice Notebook: Alec Pierce returns to practice, Kenny Moore II 'progressing well' through Achilles injury
Pierce is still in concussion protocol but was listed as a full participant in Wednesday's practice.
Wide receiver Alec Pierce (concussion) was a full participant in the Colts' Wednesday practice ahead of their Week 6 game against the Arizona Cardinals. Defensive tackle Grover Stewart, who left the Colts' Week 5 game with a bicep injury, was also a full participant in practice.
Pierce sustained a concussion in Week 3 and did not play in Week 4; he was a full participant in the Colts' practices on Wednesday and Thursday last week but did not practice on Friday. He was ruled out for Week 5 after head coach Shane Steichen said he was unable to clear concussion protocol.
Steichen on Wednesday said Pierce is still in concussion protocol.
Running back Tyler Goodson (groin) and cornerback Kenny Moore II (Achilles) did not practice on Wednesday. Goodson sustained his injury in Week 4 and missed all three practices and the Colts' game against the Raiders on Sunday. Moore sustained his injury in Week 3 and has missed two straight weeks of practice and games. But despite his injury, the nine-year veteran remains in good spirits and is optimistic about returning to the field soon.
"Mentally I'm doing well, taking it day by day, just trying to attack it properly to get back to the practice field and obviously to the game," Moore said Wednesday. "I'm excited to still be around, still helping guys prepare for the game, still in meeting rooms being alert, attentive as I should be. I prepare like I'm playing. Obviously having to miss two games already, it's not the best, but I got a lot of support around me.
"Physically, I'm getting there. I'm feeling really good right now...I'm progressing well."
