The rivalry between the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers is one of the most intense in all of sports. It does, however, have a lighter side.
At a charity event in Baltimore involving both head coaches, John Harbaugh took a good-natured jab at Mike Tomlin by bringing up his interference with Jacoby Jones' kickoff return three years ago.
"I suspect he's a pretty good tackler," Harbaugh said with a smile while looking at Tomlin, who was seated in the audience. "We never exactly saw the tackle. But he thought about it."
Harbaugh then turned his back while on stage to imitate Tomlin, who was fined $100,000 by the NFL after he took a step back into the field of play and slowed down Jones. It stopped a potential touchdown for Jones in a 22-20 Ravens victory.
After that game, Harbaugh said he never thought "there was intentionality there personally."
Harbaugh also poked fun at Tomlin's dismissive handshake from four years ago. After a last-second win by the Steelers, both coaches met at midfield, where it looked like Tomlin rushed the handshake and Harbaugh appeared upset by that.
"For 3½ hours, we're battling each other," Harbaugh said. "And then for about 30 seconds on the walk across the field, sometimes we're still battling one another, right? This guy's got a great handshake."
This wasn't even the most hostile handshake between the coaches. Harbaugh relayed a story from 2008 after the Ravens had lost to the Steelers for a third time that season.
The last thing Tomlin told Harbaugh after they shook hands was: "I'm just sorry we didn't get a chance to play you four times."
"I thought to myself, 'Wow, that's strong.' I was impressed," Harbaugh said. "One of these days, we'll get you three times. I know we will."
Harbaugh and Tomlin were supporting the charity "There Goes My Hero," which promotes increasing the registry for bone marrow donors.
In addressing the rivalry, Harbaugh said it's such a fight that you don't want to like the other guy.
"Then you just respect them so much," Harbaugh said. "You get to know them and you end up loving one another."