Rivalries are tremendous for sports. This is especially true of professional football. When two teams have a genuine dislike for each other, and want nothing more than to destroy each other on the field, it adds a level of intensity and intrigue to every matchup. But according to Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, the rivalry between his Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals went too far in 2015.

He talked to Mark Kaboly of the Tribune-Review Friday at the onset of training camp.

I think it can get out of control and it did at times. I am out there and you see all the stuff going on under the piles. It is one thing to talk a little trash and another thing to say some of things that are being said. The referees have to keep it under control but we as players have to be better and go play on both sides.

According to Roethlisberger, he wants a “good, clean rivalry” and not one where people are watching “to see a fight, to see penalties.” Roethlisberger also referenced to the classic rivalry between Pittsburgh and the Baltimore Ravens. It’s dropped off some in recent seasons but in the days of Ray Lewis and Ed Reed this was the one to watch.

And the reason it worked so well was because while the rivalry was true and heated, there was a level of respect each team had for one another. That doesn’t exist in the Steelers-Bengals rivalry and that’s why it inevitably degenerates into something less savory on the field.

As Roethlisberger said:

(Those games were as) a physical as a rivalry and physical as a football game that you would ever see. Everybody knew that. But it was never dirty. There may have been some pushing and shoving but that’s just guys. You never worried about cheap and dirty type stuff. I want the Cincinnati rivalry to be the same tough and physical rival that people want to see tough, physical football. You don’t want to see cheap and dirty. I don’t want it get to that.

Let’s hope that this season there can be some hard-nosed, physical football between these two teams, but none of the garbage that ruined the end of last season.