Although the Pittsburgh Steelers’ main rival is the Baltimore Ravens, the Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals also have a rivalry that has burned hot over the years. In fact, from 2014-2017 the Steelers-Bengals rivalry was the most violent since the player safety initiative began in 2010. Outside linebacker Bud Dupree was a member of the Steelers from 2015-2020 and experienced the peak of the rivalry which he described as distinct from anything else.
“The Bengals and Steelers was like a gladiator school,” said Dupree on The Digital Social Era Podcast. “We played them, they had [Vontaze] Burfict, they had [Adam] Pacman Jones…Every game we played them boys for a two year stretch, it was two people going to sleep each game.