Jackson, Henry, Smith, & Harbaugh: Ravens Press Conferences 9/1/24

Welcome into Ravens Press Pass. Today is Sunday for you. It is Wednesday for the Ravens as they are an adjusted calendar, getting ready for Thursday night football to kick off the season against the Kansas City Chiefs. And as we do on a typical Wednesday during a game week, we hear from head coach John Harbaugh as well as quarterback Lamar Jackson. We also heard from linebacker Rokwan Smith as well as running back Derrick Henry, and then we went into the locker room and caught up with safety

Okay, good to see everybody. Sure appreciate you being here. Good day, hot day out here today. Guys did a good job with practice and we're looking forward to getting ready for the game.

What questions you have, John, You're pretty.

Familiar with six stacks over there over there with there's practice packers. What's kind of the thing that you guys have to account for?

What well?

Is it something that he does it's different than some other teams.

No, I mean it's everybody's different than every other team. So it's kind of a tough question to answer. He's he's unique and what he does a lot of things that he does we do. We do that he does other teams do, and other things that are unique. It's kind of the way it's all put together, probably for any any coach, when when certain blitzes show up or when coverages show up, He'll keep it moving on you.

So, yeah, they do a great job.

Are you finding that you have to balance the emotions of week one, of last seasons and of this being the Chiefs? Is that anything that's kind of bringing into play and how do you as a coach?

Sure?

I mean, I think those things are always in play. It's it's an emotional game, it's an emotional sport. It's an emotional life, isn't it. I mean the things that you have in your life that you care about are important to you, and you want to do well and you want to be successful. Those are all things that matter to all, you know, So no different for our guys. So you know, we talk about the things that that

John, we've never talked to you since you guys have brought in Tyler Huddly again.

Yeah, it's good to have Tyler back.

You know, he'll be he's working off the practice squad be uh, he'll be in as our third quarterback at this time right here, so you know, he kind of knows the offense it's been. It's a lot different maybe in some ways than it was when he was here, but a lot the same too, So he'll have to relearn a lot of things and see where we're at since he's been gone.

But he's doing a good job of that, very diligent and we're happy to have him back.

Coach Rigunni Thailand Wallace, the impact he has had on training camp, special teams, how do you see he's development to be an asset.

And yeah, I mean to me Toilan's been a very steady grower as a football player, you know, and he's developed into a very good player for us. He won us a game last year. He's made he's made catches on offense, he's blocked people. I expect him to take another step, maybe the biggest step of his career so far this year.

Hey, coach, you've been doing it before, but is it kind of a unique and strange situation when you enter of a game if you've.

Not seeing these guys in a live situation, whereas you.

Know week three you've seen what these guys look like, where some of these guys haven't played since the AFC Championship in a live setting.

Well, yeah, for sure, it's it's the first game. You know, it's the opener, the real opener. It wouldn't be any different even the head played in the game a little bit, because it's still different, but it probably enhances that whole kind of a situation more than it would. So there's a lot of unknowns that you go in and I think you learn a lot. You certainly have a better understanding of where your team is that on Friday than

You think, with you know, some of the experience you have along the offensive line, that you're asking for something different than Ronnie Stanley in terms of being now one of the oldest guys.

They've been one of the oldest guys for a while. I feel like, so, No, Ronnie's doing a great job. He's working hard, he's looked good in practice, and see him out there doing extra right now, I'm looking forward to seeing High Place Thursday night.

John, there's only.

One team that you get to prepare for for a month, so you know, I had that's your next opponent. What have you learned over the years about getting ready for that opener?

And how's that kind of involved.

Yeah, I mean, I don't know. There's a lot of things. You learn about a lot of things and certainly take it all into account. How you run training camp, how you run the practices up until that game, how you organize the reps, all those different kinds of things.

But one of the big.

Lessons to me is that you have to remember it's it's the first game, but it's not the only game. So you know, we're gonna have another game after that, and we're gonna have We're gonna we're gonna have seventeen regular season games and as many postseason games as we earn, so that we've got to keep that in mind and kind of keep it in perspective that way have been.

You've had maybe.

Less interactions with the Andy over the summer because this is the first game.

We never talk over the summer anyway. He's too busy.

He's out there in Huntington Beach at his beautiful beach home out there, So I never hear from him in the summer to.

Do the coaching Academy interview thing.

He did that a few years ago. Actually, yeah, so we'll be we'll be looking for another one here soon. I have to let him know expecting a new interview.

But did you watch it?

Wow?

Was that?

Was that the interviewer? The interviewe it turned you turned off? Okay? Wow, okay, boom China.

I think there was a practice pretty early this summer where you guys have a lot of heavy blitzers of them are he was really really good against it in training camp. Obviously, they blitzed you with you know, six man pressures, seven man pressures pretty often in that Age Champions game. What does it take for you guys to be successful to guess that kind of pressure.

Yeah, it's gonna take.

It's gonna take I ding those those uh, the pressures when they're coming I ding how we're to pick them up or to block them or to throw off them with the hots and different things in the executing.

That's what it takes, you know.

And when they when a team comes after you with blitzes and you've got to you've got to meet him. You've got to meet him where they stand, stand your ground and and uh and uh and attack them.

That's that's what you have to do.

So we've been working hard at that, we always have, and I'm looking forward to seeing how we do.

So I'm looking over film from preseason. Can you take away a whole lot from watching the Chiefs preseason tape or really any team's tape for Week one and bearing against them? Or is it just a lot of vanilla style plays that they're working on with, you know, not even their starters.

Sometimes Yeah, it's uh.

You watch it, you get a few notes and just kind of see where they're at style wise, I guess, but you don't get a lot from it.

Now, here's quarterback Lamar Jackson, So Mark getting Matt.

Mark Andrews back there on the practice field. Whatever the years, why do you think he has been such a good end zone, red zone.

Target field, end zone, red zone, down the field, on the side side, making catches, just all around. Man, he's just got a great feel for the game and he made my job a lot easier. And I say a lot about Mark and what he does for this game, but man, he just a great all around tight end and la Mark.

How do you feel to have his new back in the building?

Have the ho oh, the snoop oh, Man, it's great to have my brother back in the building. Man, great to see him. Man, you know, cut his hair, a different approach, look look a little like mature like you know, but it's great to have my brother back, man, definitely.

Or a two part question, how much of a relationship if you have any with Patrick Mahomes And just what do you see from him on the field that makes him unique? And and what do you take away from his game?

I don't I don't have a relationship with him. I don't think I have a relationship with any quarterback in the league. I don't take anything from it, any anything from him. You know, I just play my game. But he's a great quarterback. I'm say that he's a great quarterback. He has the accolades to prove it. But man, He's just he may thing. He made things happen on the field that make it seem successful.

I can see that.

Mare week.

Yeah, what's the biggest challenge to playing out there in Kansas City? We know it's gonna be amped up. We won every but historically and you know you played out there, you played some great games. Uh, what's the toughest thing about playing there?

We just not in front of our crowd. Uh, the whole game is not like the whole Raven flock there. But it's I I know it's our fan base is always traveling with us, but it's just not our crowd.

That's all.

That's the biggest difference. And I'll say that, how do you need the noise?

How do you use a quarterback handle all that noise?

Just like any other environment, you know, just stay poised, stay locked in and listen to the cars, walk up to the line when I make my checks, and let my line know what we're doing.

Stuff like that.

Well, what was your reaction when you saw this game come up on the schedule? You know, you were playing the Chiefs. But for the NFL to make this the season opener means they obviously think a lot about this match out.

Or uh yuh.

I'm approaching like any other game, you know, but it's the start of the season, so we gotta make a greater imperson for the first game of the season.

When you say you're approaching like any other game, revenge won't be on your mind at all, And I'm sure it'll be on the Ravens flock.

I mean, any game I play and I feel like it's a revenge game. So I'm not just gonna look at this game like in the a revenge game anybody we played, no matter if we beat 'em or lost to 'em prior uh, previous years.

I just wanna win, mar like.

You know, pretty much have winning records against pretty much all the teams and quarterbacks my homes in Kansas City is the one team that's kind of been the opposite of a little bit?

Does that certainly any motivation for you at all?

Like I just said, that's r pretty much similar to that question. I'm approach to every game the same way. You know, I wanna win regardless win lose to daw previous times. But every game motivation you well, where.

What are your emotions when you put in the work that you have this offseason, four days away from the season, kickoffice, and how would you describe your emotions.

I'm ready to go.

I've been going against my guys for weeks. You know it's time to go against someone else.

Mar It's always been about the super Bowl for you. Last year, you go as far as you have to this point in your career. Did did Is there anything you take away from that run going into this sea?

Said ah Man, just you know, we was close.

It was close, but we gotta get back where we was and like I always say, finished, but it start.

We won to start Thursday night.

I mean think think blitzed you guys and a lot of the forty four years so percentage it at the time, and your pass was curious, like can you look back and then.

What's the challenge of dealing with that?

And and where did you kind of take away moving forward to you know, just next game.

See h man.

It was all type of things that went on in the game that we felt like we that could have worked for us went our way getting the ball out, certain certain things that went on, like we we missed certain certain things throughout that game, and it was all type of things I just can't pinpoint them blixing us cause we we picked 'em up. Sometimes, you know, here and there, all type of things we coulda did better that game.

Mark kind of kind of playing off the Cordell's question. I mean, sometimes here Ravens fans say this team can't prove anything to us until January, until the playoffs. But I know you guys can't afford to really think of it that way. So I mean, what what do you wanna get out of the regular season.

We gotta win. We gotta win regular season games to get to January. You know, we can't just go in to going to the season and go but iman f five and twelve, we're not. We're not gonna be in the playoffs, you know, so we gotta go into every game tryna make it to the playoffs. You know, playoffs on our mind. But at the same time, we gotta win this game that's ahead of us.

What or where do you feel like you've come along the most this offseason in terms of your your handle before the snapping the Todd Monk and it has done a lot of it, you know, powering you to make protection changes, you know, using your cadence getting in out of plays.

Where do you think you've come along the first.

Uh.

I feel like I'm way ahead of our then I was when I first got in the system last year. Very comfortable. Our guys got young guys on the offense. Those guys are getting a lot comfortable, feel like we were. We way have had of where we were prior to Uh.

Men account with all the turnover lamar on the offensive line and how confident are you? They're ready to step in and we'll be seen less from.

What it was before.

Oh, I'm very comfortent in our guys.

Man.

They been busting. They behind each and every practice, you know, preseason. Uh, they been battling. I believe our guys ready.

Seems like every time.

You're watching AY Sports, you're seeing the them hype up the game and it's you. Always pictures of you and Patrick Mahomes's kind of headlining this game. What do you pick from like people saying that this could be kind of the the next great quarterback liveoy.

Uh.

To be honest, I don't really pay attention to it. Like I see a lot of stuff on social media, but I don't. I try to shy away from the the sports stuff cause I know they gonna be talking about the Ravens a lot, but I don't I really don't pay no mind cause I just wanna play football.

What does matter?

Amar Y?

You had Rashot healthy for most of camp? Uh?

What kind of expectations you have for him? Considering just you know, how how could you guys looked at times last year.

I believe he's gonna have a great year, A great year. Uh uh, sneaky year. You know people, A lot of people be sleeping on 'em. But I believe he's gonna have a great year.

Next up, running back Dereck Henry, What are you doing.

Now?

Are you finally it's like, finally it's a game week to get to this point. How hard is it to slog through all that to get to where you want to be right now?

Oh?

No, man, this is what you've been anticipating and waiting for. Week one is finally here, Like it's been a long time coming. I'm excited to get to work until Thursday.

Are you curious how it's gonna go anywhere that you maybe haven't been for a long time, or do you feel like you know what this way?

Not?

Really curiously how it's gonna go? Just focus on me?

Doing my job and you know, preparing the right way, preparing as a team, prepared individually and be locked in and you know this this whole week just so getting the game ready to go.

You weren't here.

Last year, but you know for this team, playing the team that ended season last year. Noticed any specific energy coming from the Ravens were here last year? You since the deeper meaning to this season opener for some.

All these guys.

I mean, yeah, of course, I mean it it's gonna be that. I mean, that was what they lost to to get to the to the big one. So you know, I'm sure that's in the the back of they minds. And you know, when it' come out and play uh Raven style of football, execute, it's so we get a w But yeah, I'm sure that's in the back of their minds.

And you know, I'm sure everybody's locked in and'll be ready to go.

What struck you about working with Lamar closely and seen his spreculation.

To this season?

I don't know the way he comes to work every day, you see why are you great? See how he approaches each and every practice, you know, being the leader out here, uh, communicating with the guys, everybody being on the on the same page. You know, Uh, his work at the shows to see why he's so productive when the season comes being the MVP there.

When you when you were watching the AC Championship last year, was there any part of you was considering.

What happened to the trade that line?

I was thinking, how if I did if I had been the Raven, things might a bit different.

Oh? Yeah, I shit, I was.

I was wishing I could suit up that day watching that game. But yeah, uh, but now it's my turn, so you know, you gotta uh take advantage of it. It's gonna be hell of a game. You know, Chiefs are always tough. They sat of them all uh, on all three teams. So gotta be locked in this week to to be able to execute on Thursday.

Oh, Derek.

In your career the Chiefs, you have the highest yards per attempt of your career against the NFL opponent, the second most, uh yards per game against them. Is there something specifically when you play against them that you found success that causes you to see, you know, statistical success against them more so than other opponents.

Uh, I don't know.

I think it's just uh, they are a great team. And being a great team for a while now. The defense is solid. I think they're solid from top to bottom. That wouldn't tackle lists. They're disruptive, so you know, you just gotta bring your a game when you going up against those guys. And you know, I've been fortunate enough to have success when you play them.

Derek A pretty you know, obvious question, but a lot of attention paid to this offensive line that this offseason and how important are they to you doing your job as well as you can?

And uh, I guess what are your expectations for them this year?

Yeah, I'm uh excited for them to go showcase.

You know, them as a as a group and us as a whole and you know, go going to do our job and executing. You know, it's all tied in together, but you all trust one another. It's just going out there and put it all together.

How would you say your body feels that are a miss season es compared to the previous years.

Bodies feels the same. Hasn't changed much. No, no, the age difference, but my body still feels good.

What impressures you on the upfront for Kansas City when you're when you're looking at him and getting ready for them.

This year course uh nine to five. I mean we all know who he is type of player. He is this disruptive, a game wrecker, uh five six, Uh. He does a great job for them as well. Fifty f fifty four.

Uh.

They use him at backer and they put him on on the outside. I think they're just tall from top to bottom with Nick thirty two uh uh, j uh, Jude twenty three McDuffie.

On the outside.

They got some other guys that gotta replace uh with trays and free agency.

But I think they still have the same scheme.

Of guys who are working well with it, and they do a great job of running this scheme as well.

There.

You know, at this point in your career, played obviously in big games. Curious how you view a game like this against if any champions, prime time all that sort of things. Is that, do you at any any different league compared to sort of most games to get more amped up for those games.

Or anything like that.

Nah, none at all. I mean, at the end of the day, it's just football. While I've been playing since I was five years old. But the atmosphere and you know it be in the first game at night, you know them coming off with Super Bowl, they being at home and Arrowhead, which you know, the environment's gonna be loud, is gonna be it's gonna be hostile, But that's what you want.

I mean, especially on opening night.

You know, everybody watching the first game of the year, the kick calls the twenty twenty four seasons.

So I'm excited. So it's it's gonna be fun. So I'm looking forward to it.

Next up, linebacker Rokwan Smith.

So what's the biggest challenge when you're against homes and a Chiefs offense.

Yeah, I think first and foremost just eliminating Iran, making the guys one dimensional, just like any other game. And once you make a team one dimensional and knowing exactly what they'll do and given situation, it gives us the chance as a defense to really pin our ears back and do exactly what we would like to do.

With you know, Zach checking over the DC and a couple of new faces. Do you feel like you guys were able to show, you know, the Kansas City offense something you appreciably different than what.

They saw in the AFC Championship.

Do you think they're going to be dealing with some different shapes from your defense.

Honestly, I think every year is different and every year, each and every team is unique, and this defense is unique in its own way. Not focused on last year how Mike did things, but I'm various side that was zo at to him and the way he's gonna call the game. Have a lot of faith in him, and we're just gonna get out there and play our brand of football, and that's what we're gonna do, and at the end of.

The day, we'll let the chips lay where they lay.

When you said, you know, last year was a different team. Is there any emotions or anything that you carry over for motivation or for just remembrance anything like that, or is that completely wiped away and you're focused just solely on this and that's the past.

Oh well, you know, obviously the guys that was here last year definitely gonna carry that over into the season. So it's about, you know, having that and putting that in your back pocket and just using that as motivation on top of the motivation that's already there, being able to do exactly what we do and knowing that this is the first game on the schedule and they're in our way of what we want for ourselves. So it's just about going out there and handling business as business should be handled.

Having a camp with Trent Simpson next to you all the way through here, what is how have you seen him grow through this camp and is he ready to fill the shoes of.

The PQ left trend is unique in his own way. PQ hats off to him, miss amount of respect for him. Always be my brother, So you know, no bad blood there at all. But with Trent, you I'm very excited for him, the stuffs that he's made throughout OTAs as well as into into training camp. I'm very excited about him and you know, showcase to the world exactly what

I know you're a guy who plays with a lot of motion.

There's gonna be a lot.

Going on Thursday night for you know, first game rematch all that. Do you kind of have to talk to the players about making sure to kind of keep that in check. I mean, it seemed like in a playoff game, you know, even Kelsey baited a couple of people a couple of times, and you've got penalties.

To bring that up at all this week.

To kind of make sure everyone's into the game but also relaxed and not taking different penalties and reacting.

Yeah, I think I think that's critical, being able to just like keep your composure throughout the game. Yeah, there was different calls that probably should have went the other way, but hey, we can't ask reps for anything at any point throughout the game. We know how to line up and kick the man's tail across from you, and I think once you do that, that's all what it boils down to beat the man between the whistle. Guys want to do cheap shot, Hey, I'll see your next play.

So we'll see him when we see him.

Are you a super Bowl guy where like you're thinking about that throughout the year and where you feel like it can't be a fully successful year if you don't get there or is that not useful for you to sort of think about that as a framework?

No, I think each and every guy a goal and as a team should be to make the super Bowl. But there's a process in place, and you have to respect the process. And I'm firm believer in respecting the process. So it starts with week one. Kansas City is in our way for what exactly we want to do, and sure from their eyes, we're in their way. So at the end of the day, it's gonna be a clash and hey, made the best man win.

But I like us sort of the ideal way to start off this season when you know that the super Bowl winners last year, you know they're gonna be celebrating their super Bowl.

The emotion you can't kind of wratch it up any higher than it's gonna be on Thursday.

Do you do you like starting the season under those circumstances?

Hey, honestly, man, what what way to have a bigger show than when the whole entire world is watching you, regardless of what happened last year.

Hey, that's last year.

This is a completely new season, and like, hey, the whole world's gonna be watching people from all over. So I'm very excited about our defense and our offense, the special teams as well, to put a show on in front of the entire world and do it and look good while we're doing it.

At this time last year, Lamar Jackson said he you know, he had to shake off a little rust in that week one game after not playing at all in the in the preseason. A lot of this defense didn't play at all in the preseason. What's what's the challenge to go from like, you know, zero one hundred immediately, or how do you avoid any kind of rusty start which could cost.

You in this game?

Yeah, you definitely, you definitely hear those but hear those things. But a lot of veteran presence in this room, and hey, last year didn't play in the preseason, But this year is a totally new year. I have a miense amount of respect for each and every guy I go out on the field with, and hey, if you watch practice at all throughout training camp, I think some of those practices harder than a lot of those games we played

The Chiefs are one of the few teams to beat Lamar multiple times. You know Lamar in the competitive is how much do you think that serves as motivation?

Brend I'm sure anytime you lose against anyone, that's gonna be extra motivation and whatnot.

But it's about it's football.

At the end of the day.

We know I have all my faith in Lamar, He's the leader of this team, and knowing that he's gonna lead us exactly where we want to go at the end of the day, and all we can do is continue to support him. So it's not about to past anything like that. It's about right now and it's the moment. There's nothing better than the moment. So whatever happened in the past happened. You know, we can't change that. But we can change is what's coming up, and that's Thursday night.

Maur has really slimmed down from that game in the AUC Championship. Gam How different does he look to you and what does that How has that changed what he's done on the field throughout the camp and you've.

Seen Yeah, No, the guy looks electric, look like he's back at Louisville in a sense me watching him take it eighty ninety, but also can zip it down the field as well. I need to get on that diet plan maybe so, yeah, but no, he looks great. We'll talked to CEO a few weeks ago and he said, you know, he's still going to continue to be himself even though he has new responsibilities in DC.

What kind of ways have you've kind of seen him in adapt But what has he kind of retained from being your position coach that you think is gonna infuse in the other aspects of the defense?

Yeah, I think, honestly, man, in which I respect as a person. When you respect someone that never changed all us of what comes their way. And when a guy stand tenth tos on what he believes in and who he is as a person, you always have to respect that. And he's been that since Like, he's still himself, same energetic guy. It's just Hey, he has a different title by his name, but hey, and he carries that very well.

We heard Lamar be more talkative on the field before the snap. You in training camp as someone who kind of has to match wits with quarterbacks for the snap, what have you kind of seen from his development and how important could that be for getting this offense into more advantageou spots, Not that last year's team struggled without any kind of spot.

Yeah.

Absolutely, Like I said, the head of this horse is Lamar, so we all know that, and as ego, we go as a team. So I'm very excited. He definitely has been more vocal and obviously he's a lot slimmer, a lot more quicker too, So I was like, wow, So I'm just very excited for him to showcase to the world exactly how he've grown each and every year as well, because we all changed year in and year out and

Now we head into the locker room where we hear from safety Kyle Hamilton. What are the emotions kicking off the season with the whole country watching?

You know, just what's this game feel.

Like to you?

Yeah, I think we're all just excited. You know, we've been talking about all off season that last year and now we wanted to but it gives us perspective on what we need to do to get back to where what we did last year and win that game.

What lessons did you take from battling against Kelsey?

You know, it's just a it's a patient saying. It's same with anybody.

You know, It's just being patient, trusting your game. Nothing really crazy, But you know, I'm excited to play against everybody on that team. I think our defense as a whole is prepared and de scided going to Airrowhead, having your game.

This secondary is just absolutely loaded kind of what are your expectations going into this year for the secondary?

Yeah, we're just deep as a group. I would say. Everybody's talented, everybody's hungry.

A lot of new faces in the room, but a lot of guys who've been here obviously, And I think we're kind of we meet after our like mandatory meetings and practice and stuff like that, and I think we're all just focused on the same goal and we're all excited to just get the season going.

How so much made of the term revenge game by fans a lot of media. How is it for you personally? How do you view going up against the Chiefs but now the second consecutive is real?

Yeah, I think you can't ignore the situation, the who you're playing against, but and you gotta respect them at the same time. But I feel like what keeps me playing out my best just going to like it's another game, not getting too high, uh, not getting too low, stay even killed, saying kill, and it's going out there and play my game.

Kyle Cheeks one week MR multiple times in his career. You know war is competitor M How much do you think that kind of motivates the metal?

Uh?

Yes, and no, I mean, whenever anybody loses to anybody, doesn't matter what it is, you kind of get back, get back at that person, prove that you know we can beat them too. So I think Lamar has the same mindset that I have Thereby in the building has, and you know, we're trying to go in there on Thursday and get a win.

Kyle, there's always more unknown in week one than any other game because you don't have to intake that means anything. Since last year with Kansas City and their reputation for trick plays, creativity on offense, does that create a greater sense of you guys that really need to be on the point fundamentally, just knowing that there could be some wrinkles that you haven't seen before from them.

Yeah, definitely with them.

You know they've shown it in the past and they've had success with it for the past however many years, And definitely gotta be on our piece and Q's in that sense. But I think it just comes down to that every game, you know, anybody can re draw something to that's somebody's eyes or rules and stuff like.

That's just how does stay disciplined. Do you like this matchup?

Do you like starting the season against the two ton champs, the team to beat you on the road in their place, Like, is this kind of how you would.

Draw it up?

Uh?

Yeah, I think having such a big game like this and you know everybody's gonna be watching, and then us having the poise to go out there and hopefully get a win. I think we'll propel us uh during the year and give us a sense of what we need to do going into a game, what our preparation looks like, what we did right, what we did wrong, and you know, from then on just kind of hit the ground rolling.

I'm sure we're.

Gonna see a lot from this defense that we saw last year since the guys were so successful. But what do you think is gonna be sort of exact stamp on things?

Just running hit, just keep it simple, running hit.

Hell.

Are you you a guy who judges this season by how I end?

Or do you try to sort of take a more nuanced view him and say, you know, a.

Lot of stuff happens over the or the portfol year.

You know, I'm gonna take a good at that.

How do you want?

I think I'm more.

Result oriented in the way that you know, we lost at the end of the year, and nobody remembers the AFC Championship runner up from ten years ago, and you know, we're trying to be that team there, but remembers won Super Bowl.

So you know we lost.

It is what it is.

Had a good year, but you gotta do it again.

And last but not least, playing in his first NFL regular season game, here's cornerback Nate Wiggins.

All right here with Nate Wiggins.

Nate, you know, what, what are the emotions like before your first NFL regular season?

Is a lot going through my mind right now. I just I'm just happy to be here. Uh just I'm ready to go, you know, I'm just ready to play.

How do you manage the emotions? How do you stay calm?

Just going just taken it up day by day, just coming to practice, going day by day, watching film. I mean, it's you know, a lot of emotion, but I'm just going day by day, taking it, taking any day by day as I can.

You had a really strong preseason.

What did that do I know you're always the confident guy, but what did that do to kind of prove it to you?

Hey, I can do it in a game in the NFL. I mean that just brought me more confidence into my game.

That's what I needed. I needed just to play in the preseason. So I can just bring more confident and.

I think that's what it That's what it is.

So I'm looking forward.

To the first man.

Though, you're a really fast guy.

The Chiefs drafted a really fast guy a couple of picks before you. What are your thoughts about the possibility of matching up with Xavier Worthy.

I can't wait to see. I mean speed, very speed.

Uh that we're gonna see.

I guess we're gonna see what the fastest. So uh, let's see.

And to be on prime time everybody's watching, you know, your first game in that kind of environment, in the era ahead against the two time Super Bowl champs, what does that do also for you?

I mean it bring it brings a lot of joy.

Just in my first game, I guess considered winning the best quarterback they ever playing the game. So I mean, uh uh, I mean that's that's a lot. I mean, so, I mean I'm not gonna face somebody better than him, so I mean, just get out of the way. So I feel like it's good. It's a good thing for me.

So make you go up against the two time MVP and Lamar Jackson every day, how do you feel like Steph prepares you for going up catching the boom?

Yeah?

I feel like that prepared me a lot, Like I said, I mean, like you said, he the two time MVP and batm hoone went considered one of the best, So I feel like I go, I'm going against the best every day. So I mean I don't really feel like you no drop off, So I'm ready to play.

How long does it take you to fully feel like you're in the game now?

I mean this will be the first real game you play at this level.

What do you feel like you need for you to say, all right, it's go time.

I probably just need one player in the game, just one hit, and I think I'll be ready to go.

I mean it's time to shine.

Then where's the excitement level for you for Thursday?

Right now?

The latest of pre season games?

I know, but this is the real.

Yeah, this is the real. I mean my excitement level through the roof. I mean, I can't tell you how the siting movement right now, Like I've been working all my life for it. So I mean I'm ready to just.

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Thank you for listening. Ravens Press Past, make sure you're subscribed because there will be many more media availabilities this season as the Ravens get ready for the twenty twenty four campaign. Thanks for listening. We'll be back with you tomorrow