Patrick Queen's first season on the other side of the Ravens-Steelers rivalry didn't produce the results he desired.
Sure, he still made the Pro Bowl as an alternate and finished with 129 tackles, but Queen felt he underachieved in 2024.
"For me, personally, I think I could have expectations and surpass them, and I'd still be upset that I didn't do more," Queen recently said, via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "I'm always going to be searching and looking for more that I can do, trying to be the best player I can be for my team and for myself. I didn't do that last year. That's what really aggravated me this whole offseason."
It's common for a defender to find uncertain footing in his first year in a new system. Sometimes, it'll prompt stars to vent their frustrations before settling in and reaping the rewards. Former Eagles defensive tackle Fletcher Cox once famously ripped Jonathan Gannon's approach in their first season together, then eventually played a key part in a defense that helped Philadelphia reach the Super Bowl in the following campaign.
For Queen, the fault isn't on Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, it's on Queen for not being more prepared for the change.
"It wasn't the season I wanted," Queen said. "Just because I didn't play the type of football I wanted to. You could blame it on a whole new system and all that other stuff, but at the end of the day, I'm a professional football player. That was Year 5. So, I think I should've been a little more well-prepared for that. I definitely take all accountability for that."
Those who have watched Queen throughout his career would agree with the linebacker. Pro Football Focus handed him his worst defensive grade for a season since 2021, landing at a forgettable 56.8 in 2024 as part of a Steelers defense that still managed to finish 12th in yards allowed and eighth in points allowed per game.
While he appeared in all 17 games last season, Queen admitted he wasn't in the best place physically last season, playing through a number of ailments. The combination resulted in what Queen's longtime teammate in Baltimore and Pittsburgh, defensive back DeShon Elliott, described as "growing pains."
Now that it's behind him, Queen views the 2024 season as nothing more than motivation to succeed in 2025.
"Being able to go through that process of being at the top of my game and then going down, it kind of fuels you even more to get back to your old self," Queen said.
Queen will fill one spot in a starting 11 that will feature some new faces in 2025. Veteran cornerback Darius Slay moved to the other side of the Keystone State, leaving the Eagles to join the Steelers as an experienced defensive back opposite youngster Joey Porter Jr.. Oregon product and 21st overall pick Derrick Harmon arrives as another projected starter along the defensive line, but has zero NFL experience.
The rest of the unit will largely be the same and operate in a system that should no longer feel unfamiliar to Queen. That alone should give him an advantage over his former self as the Steelers embark on the new campaign.
It will be up to Queen to prove he's grown from his past experience and deliver in 2025.
