Alejandro Villanueva takes multiple shots at Steelers; explicitly thrilled to become a Raven

An interview recently published by El Nickel on YouTube was revealed earlier today to express just how much new free agent addition Alejandro Villanueva is excited to join the Baltimore Ravens. His presser earlier on Wednesday was also revealing into his feelings on his former team, the Pittsburgh Steelers.

El Nickel Interview

Disclaimer: Baltimore Beatdown is sourcing the translation of the interview from a reddit post. The poster, u/BigTruss19, commented:

“I’m going to translate the most interesting things he says, not all the interview, the interview is from 23 abril just before the draft (sorry if I say something incorrect, English is not my first language).”

According to the translating commenter, Villanueva said he spoke a lot about with Ravens head coach John Harbaugh and that he found Harbaugh and Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin a lot alike. He then commented that the Ravens’ offense is “a wet dream” for any offensive linemen in the league.

According to the translating commenter, Villanueva also stated the offense in Pittsburgh was a “kamikaze mission, throwing the football 800 times from a two-point stance. that I cannot put my hand in the floor, always throwing the football, and throwing the football but I don’t know how much time the pass are going to last, the pass may last 1’5 seconds or it may last 4 seconds, to endure 60-70 passes each game, it’s the worst, the worst that can happen is that you have to pass the football in that predictable way with a quarterback that doesn’t move.”

Ravens Presser

During his media availability, Villanueva made it perfectly clear how he felt about the wide receivers in Pittsburgh after taking a question on the Ravens’ run-first offense.

“I’m assuming it’s not as much fun for the receivers because they’re not getting all the catches, they’re making the Tik Toks and they’re having fun on social media.”

Though Villanueva said he understood this is a business, he still felt motivated to join the Ravens due to playing his former team twice a season.

It’s rather refreshing to hear candid comments from a player rather than canned responses to media. Villanueva let loose his displeasure with the scheme of the Steelers’ system and that he much prefers going after the defense in run-blocking. That’s of no surprise as every lineman to have played with the Ravens during the Lamar Jackson era has praised the scheme and ability to bully the opposing defenses. But to also state he’s motivated to play his former team twice a year, play AFC North football and comment on the wide receivers making their “Tik Toks” was something illuminating.

(Video warning: NSFW language)