For a player like Ike Taylor, winning was everything, but one line he crossed in 2012 has taken years to make right. The Pittsburgh Steelers‘ legend has a change of heart over something after 13 years that violated the ethics of life, let alone the sport.

“I think it’s about time for me to apologize. Torrey Smith, his brother, just died. And I didn’t want him to have a good game, so I told him something I shouldn’t have told him,” Taylor said on the December 17 episode of Not Just Football with Cam Heyward podcast.

What Taylor said to Smith at that time isn’t known yet. But the season he is referring to is 2012, when the Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Torrey Smith suffered a personal loss. His younger brother, Tevin Chris Jones, died after his motorcycle hit a side utility pole in September that year. Smith often remembered his younger brother in conversations, after scoring touchdowns, and personal achievements.

However, his teammates Ryan Clark and Troy Polamalu did not like the trash talk. They called him out on the sidelines, claiming Taylor should be more reserved in his approach. But the cornerback never hesitated. He wanted to win at any cost.

“You couldn’t tell me nothing that hurt me. But once I find some dirt on you, whether it’s personal, kids, mama, grandmama, grandpa, I didn’t care what it was. Death, birth, I didn’t care what it was,” Taylor said.

The fact that he dares to admit everything after 13 years shows that this incident has lived strongly in his memory.

Torrey Smith’s past take on Ike Taylor’s trash talk

Both players were superstars of the AFC North. Just like Ike Taylor, Smith also won two Super Bowls in his career. So, sparks flew between the two players whenever they met. But the receiver was surprised at Taylor’s ability to incite a reaction from other players and pull them in.

“I haven’t met anyone who talks as much trash as him. When I get to play him, it’s always pretty fun because I’m not a guy who talks, but he gets it out of me every single time,” Smith said.

In 2012, Taylor clearly won their two meetings, keeping Smith quiet with just four catches for 40 yards combined. But it hasn’t always been that way. Go back to Smith’s rookie year, and the story flips when he burned the Steelers for 71 yards and sealed the game with a memorable, walk-off touchdown. That’s why this rivalry felt personal but not disrespectful.

Smith knew the trash talk would be there, and the competition would be real, yet he also understood what Taylor represented. Taylor’s experience, consistency, and edge demanded respect, and Smith knew beating him meant showing up fully locked in.

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But sometimes such words escalate into bigger fights. The only probable reason why Smith did not get into a physical fight is that Ike Taylor was nine years his senior in the league. However, it definitely crosses a line of personal ethics.