You're listening to the Ravens Press Pass podcast. It is Friday, January twenty sixth, and the Ravens were getting ready to play the AFC Championship game on Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs. As they get ready for that game, we had a chance to hear from head coach John Hartwall.
Okay, great seeing everybody. Appreciate everybody being here.
Good practice, beautiful day, great day for football today and for a lot of other things. Some days are good for football and skiing. We're dancing in the rain, but today was good for a lot of stuff. So we had a great practice. Guys are into it, locked in, understand the challenge in front of us against a great football team, very well coach, very talented, very tough. So we're looking forward to it. We can't wait to get to it. But we have still some preparation to do
up until that time. So what questions you have, John, there's some reports.
That Titan Martages would be activated off of anger reserve. What can you tell us about that?
He is going to be activated off injury reserve today?
Indication think he's going to play as well?
Yeah, I mean that's the idea for sure.
That has to be done on Sunday to make sure he's good to.
Go or you know, I don't think so, we'll see. I mean, unless there's some kind of a problem, he should he'll be playing.
The priority should guys they like to store twelve part time.
Yeah, I mean our offense is what it is at this point in time. So to add a player like Mark is a great a great, great ad for us. I mean it's a great advantage. We're excited about it. Mark's been looking good the last couple of weeks. Uh, he's merged into the game plan as we built it this week, and that's what we'll be running with on Sunday.
John, what do you think the Philip? The team is right?
Man?
Is you guy just finished your last practice before before the game?
I mean they're excited, you know, they're they're there. It takes a lot to get to this point, you know, Uh, to still be playing in a game of this magnitude, It's it's a hard thing to do, you know. So they're excited to be playing the game. They want to put their best foot forward. They want to play their best Uh, they want to play their hardest, you know, they want to do well, So that's how they're thinking.
I know you've talked about it this week.
Could you talk about your relationship again with Andy Reid?
And do you guys talk.
Throughout the year.
We talked here and there. You know, it's not like we're talking regularly throughout the year. But the relationship is great. Uh, he's a he's a guy I look up to always have admire him very much. We do a lot in the off season, also just friendship wise, but also talk about kids a lot and tell you that, but also with the rules and stuff like that. But we haven't had too many conversations lately. Mentioned hospital because you have all edwards at your father one time. You remember that
visits and how that talked about. Well, I wasn't there for the visit that was they were at an All Star game, I think, and they spent a couple of days together visiting hospitals and I think Andy told me one time they were the only three coaches there, so we thought that was pretty cool. But uh uh, they hit it off and he told me that story the first time I met him, And he's pretty meaningful for a kid to hear that about his dad, and you know,
and he's and he's a great guy. I love Andy, I love Tammy, I love all their all their kids. You know, we was there when the kids were all growing up, you know, and and uh running around and it's just it's just a coaching relationship that you have with your colleagues and it becomes like a family.
Media day.
All players wish to will bring a high school be at the game with something.
What's look at that synergy with the team two teams ago. If it's a successful this year, Uh.
Well, I mean I big Oils fan obviously love watching what they did this year, and they're amazing.
I love those players.
We have that little golf tournament, you know, so highly competitive golf tournament. The Oarls usually win it. Baseball players are always great golfers. Football players.
Football players squeeze the club too hard, you know. It's like, loosen up, you know it'll be fine.
I gotta hit it harder, further, you know.
So, But we love the Oils and Brandon's a really good friend. I really have so much respect for him, and it's good he's going to be there.
On two thousand and eight.
What have you learned about getting ready for a big game?
Like this, Well, I mean it's a game, that's the bottom Line's a football game. It's against a very good team. Yeah, the opportunity, the reward to win one game is uh is great. You know everybody understands that. You put in perspective, you got to play your best football against the best teams. But it's a football game, you know, so all the things that that matter in a football game matter in this game, and those are the things that we're going to try to do well.
John.
Kind of toughness did it take for Mark Andrews to get from that, you know you and you know, against society, to get to a point where he's being activated.
That's a great, great point, Jamis, and I would say, an amazing amount of toughness, you know, physical toughness in terms of the work he had to put in and the pain, I mean the physical pain he went through and I saw him in the training room, I mean very painful injury, very painful rehab, and then just the mental toughness to I mean, you know, Mark, the crazy thing is, as you talk to him, it's how's it going.
It's going great, It's amazing.
I've been doing so well. Everybody's amazing with me. I love these guys, I love everything.
It's just how he stays, uh, you know, his positive, A plus positive every single day.
I just love that about him.
On Sunday, of course, a lot of legends, even Michael Fels, will be in the house. It's certainly even worth you for in AAFC find out where your thoughts on that.
Yeah, it's cool, it's cool. Well, it's nice, and.
But we'll be focused on I know the Chiefs are going to be in the house, so I think that's going to be our focus for sure.
Ring already into twenty twelve, You've been back a.
Couple times in the playoffs.
But tough to get back at this point. What does it say about the league that you coach in, how difficult it is to get to this point?
Well, yeah, I mean we say it many times. It's a it's tough to win a football game in the National Football League. You know, it's it's the most competitive thing that I can imagine. I'm in the middle of it. But I'm sure there are other things that are really competitive in life. I'm just not aware of them. You know, this is this is the toughest thing in the world to me to win a football game, and that's what we're gonna try to do on Sunday.
Funny way the.
Guys work this week, was it as normal as you try to keep it, knowing what's at stake?
Do you feel like everything when you know the way it usually goes like in three?
Oh?
Yeah, I mean it's the same routine. We're a routine group.
It's a practice sport, it's a meeting sport. Our guys are doing what they always do, trying to do it the best we can.
We did.
We try to have our best week this week, you know, and and that's what we tried to do.
Did you do any preparations for rain or if he played so often in it this year that you didn't really have to do anything different.
Yeah, we didn't really do anything different. You know, you get the balls wet here and there. But we've been it's been we've we've been rained down a lot this year.
John mentioned at the beginning of the week.
You know, it's been fifty three years since an AFC Championship game.
US post post a year shout out Jerry and his connection to that last geame.
Have you heard more stories or purchased around town, just what this game needs to.
People in Gary, Baltimore.
I gotta be honest with you, I've kind of been a cocoon, you know. I've kind of been kind of you know, so if I think people are probably excited my guests, you know, but we've been focusing on the game. I'm excited for the town. I think as someone like Tom Maddy and his wife you know who went They went to high school with my mom, you know, so when we came to town here, they were the first ones
to reach out. Tom and Judy Maddie and we went to dinner with him, and I think what this would have meant to him, you know, to have this game back here in Baltimore.
So things like that they're meaningful.
John, how did more of them look distanly and things that still point of just a game time things?
Uh, he looked good, you know. I'm I'm I'm confident. I'm confident, but you know, I can't say for sure.
You don't want to get too far ahead, I know, but you have a game next year against.
Your brother again.
What was the reception like hearing about him? He's ruining the charge?
Ah, fired up? You know, Yeah, I didn't not thinking about the game. No, that's that's the game way off in the future. But uh, very excited for Jim, happy for his family. Like I told you guys before. Uh he called that night back home and the kids that already had their backpack, they were ready. They thought they were going the next day to LA. They're actually coming here. So that's cool. But they didn't waste the bag packing I guess. But uh, he's It's like I said, the
Chargers just got themselves a great, great football coach. Players are gonna love him, City's.
Gonna love him.
Uh, and you know they're gonna they're gonna be very formidable.
All right, thanks, that would say coach John Harbaugh. We also heard from quarterback Lamar.
Jackson, excessive media attention this week for your second time joining us.
Is that impactful on anyway?
Is it impactful? Does it bother? Is it?
Is it just distraction or is it just whatever?
I mean, you guys want to know what's going on, how we think and how we're feeling.
So it's cool. I'm cool with it.
John just told us that Mark Andrews could be activated offen de reserve and he's gonna play, Like what what does that mean to you?
And what does that mean to the team?
It means a lot to all of us. What it means to me is I got another security blanket. You know, I'm going to feel him likely and the rest of the guys. Uh, just ready to get after it right now.
I talked to Nelson age little last week and talk about you. He said, there's something in you this year, being all year, and.
He's with it. What has been the key for you to maintain lugged in the whole season? Just knowing what set state?
You know, just being around for some years now and uh seeing different different teams we we've we've had here, and I I feel like something like back go back to twenty nineteen. Uh we had we had a chance to be and where we are right now, Uh and we fall short, you know. So like I said, me just being around different teams, knowing we got a g a great defense, great offense, great special teams. Uh, opportunities right in front of us. So you know, I gotta
just stay locked in. All of us should should be thinking the same way more.
Uh.
You wanna know how you're feeling? So what are your nerves like?
Uh?
Before the biggest games an outs, the same as it was last week. Mark Patrick said, Uh, he watched you in college.
He knew this was gonna take place and there was gonna be these battles between you and.
Him going down for for years to come.
Uh your respect level for him? And when do you feel the same wacks?
Oh, definitely, But I didn't really catch they games. I didn't really catch those guys games, but definitely when out when I did, Uh, actually watched Patrick play when we got to the league and stuff like that.
It was a no brainer.
You know, he's one of those guys he wanted the goats in the making, you know, but definitely definitely looking forward to it.
No, if I'm not. Patrick mentioned uh that he'd seen you from AFAR, giving you a lot of praise obviously, but going against the quarterback that has had the most success going three to one and those had to head matchups, how much sweeter would it be to get the win against a quarterback that has led his team to six straight championship uh games?
As well? Yeah, I'm not.
I'm not really worried about what he's done with his team. You know, it didn't matter who he was playing, you know, I was gonna feel the same way. But it'd definitely be great, you know, cause they they've been going to the fc E each and every year super Bowl seems like has been every year since I've been in the league at least. But yeah, it'd definitely be a be a good feeling. No, just to win with this the the last playoff game, you know, it definitely be great to win.
Like you said, your.
Nerves are kind of where they were last week, and he's kind of lived in the moment all year.
How do were you personally?
How do you go.
About not making this game, you know, bigger than all the other games you.
Played this year?
Uh?
See, that's just my mindset, you know.
I've I've been in games where uh you know, it's a what what what it's it's one of the games of the week or something like that, and I'm hype. I'm hype with the with everyone else hype, And when I get on the field, it's like I'm tired now, you know, So I pretty much just be cool and c cool, come and collect, you know, into the game. The ball, the ball snapped, the whistle's blown, you know, stuff like that.
Do you have a.
Relationship with Chris Jal's at all as it's been a normal week for you as far as something I was asking to coach the same thing. It's a bigger game, obviously a lot of but if you guys treat it, it's pretty much more.
Yeah, we pretty pretty much treated it the same same.
Do you have a relationship with Chris Jalge if you played against U?
Like obviously what head the head of the boys? Yeah?
I I I played against some a few times, you know, but I don't really have a relationship with 'em.
I don't.
Last time we spoke, you were securing a playoff spot. Now you're hosting a championship game. That day you told me how important your faith has been throughout the journey. So now I want to ask you what has been the toughest part of your journey and how you were able to manage it.
The toughest part of my journey, I really don't know, you know, because of because of my faith just knowing God with me through whatever I'm going through. You know, I just put my trust to Him and just pretty much go with the flow. So I really don't have pressure or I'll be overthinking anything.
Now was mark out at practice every afew weeks.
He's been looking good. He's looking sharp. You know, he's been speeding up the process. He's been looking great. He's been looking great as normal.
As practice was a swift.
It's not normal around town or out in the state park.
But have you felt any of that excitement?
I know you don't go out.
Too much, yeah, and corrouse around, but are you feeling excitement around town?
I mean, I'm excited. Uh, I see it on social media, you know, all the fans. I'm getting tacked every day all day, So I'm definitely I'm definitely seeing it, and I'm I'm knowing what's going on. I understand what's at State for the city and how everyone feel about the team.
So definitely, speaking of.
Social media, are you aware ballb ah the buzz and es of got you tweeting?
Johnny?
Yeah, I've seen, Yeah I did.
Yeah.
I know you O for saying this game was curious though, mike Vic, like, what do you remember about in watching him and growing up and then when was that like having been but as a mentor really on your.
Tread Yeah, I definitely watched Mike Vic. Uh, definitely highlights you know I always called highlights, Uh, when I was a kid growing up when he was playing, I really didn't I really didn't like football at the time, you know, watching it at least, But uh, once he went to the Eagles and stuff like that. You know, I'm pretty much older, and I remember all the the I remember the game from uh when they played against the Giants, the comeback game. That was a that was a crazy game.
You know.
He was to me, he was still in his prime, you know, but he wasn't running as much. You know, he was just throwing the ball all over the field of Shawn. He had those guys mccoyd. They was just going crazy.
But I I remember, I remember a lot. I remember a lot definitely.
Called shit when he used to call you and stuff early.
On in your I mean, it's cool, it's cool.
I guess back to fight raging might say.
Like, we gonna, I believe, we just gonna keep doing what weve been doing. You know, just this not the ball to all our guys, you know, not just one person. You know, Uh, Marcus is definitely gonna help us through this process. You know, he's he's one of the ones. But we gonna keep dishing the ball out that we've been.
Doing, and he putting to address the team and sort of what message would that be for Sunday.
Uh, we we should already know what's going on. You know, it's not need to be said.
Y everyone know what's at state for us. Just stay locked in, alright, Mark, appreciate y'all.
That was quarterback Lamar Jackson in the locker room today. We also talk with tight end Mark Andrews, who the Ravens activated today from injured reserve and he's expected to return to action on Sunday. He talked about all that today.
Mark, that you could get back here at this point.
N Yeah, I think that, you know, mentally, you got to stay on top of it. You got to be able to you know, you know, get healthy in your head, get healthy with your body. It's it's all in one.
So for me pushing myself every day, you know, believing that is it gonna be able to come back, And it's easy to do when you have great teammates that every day you come in, it's just just say that we're gonna keep winning for you, and we're gonna keep winning and by the time you're back, it's it's gonna be go time.
Mark how much time each day was devoted to your rehab, would you say if you.
Were estimating.
It just depends. I probably spend out four to six hours here every day and work out rehab, and then you're not home and there's different things like the hyperbaric oxygen chamber and stuff like that. So basically the whole day was was dedicated towards a you know, getting better mark.
People say when you're getting game mode close to a game, they notice stay away because you kind of get in that mode. Do you have you thought about what the emotions may be like for you given the stage, and how much how hard you work to get back?
Yeah?
You know you I feel like, you know, being out of the the game for forever many weeks it's been it's a I'm definitely internalizing everything thinking about it, and I'm excited, you know. I can't tell you how excited. This is what I love to do. I love to play football. I love the Ravens, I love the city they're gonna get. I'm gonna give them everything I got.
Do you think will you have to be costious at all with how many snaps you play or is that gonna be played by field?
I'm feeling good. I'm I'm gonna help this team anyway I can, and whatever they're asked me to do, I'm gonna do.
So, yeah, I feel good.
Was there a moment did you at any time?
When was it the time you said I think I can make it best? It's tough, you know, it's you know, in the early stages of rehab, it's it's little increments, and then you look back a week before that, and it was a huge jump. And so we start making these huge, huge jumps, and we got to a point about three three weeks ago, and you start talking about it, you start wrapping your mind around you know what's gonna happen, And that's kind of how it went.
How much of the Mark Andrews and we've come to know?
Do you think it can be out there somewhere?
I'm gonna give it my all. I'm gonna give it my own on you'll see me.
I was saying that it's a born in Isaiah to feel a pair of shoes on.
How have you seen this offense?
Perhaps as almost as you last way, just efficient. They're playing really good ball, and obviously you know Number of eight's playing. You know some of the best ball in the world. Someone I've never seen him like this, So he's doing everything incredibly well, and he's helping everybody else out and and everybody's helping them out too, So it's
a team game. I'm just hoping to add in help but when I can, and just add that a little bit, a little bit of smart not being able to play last week and knowing that if if the game didn't go this way, you wouldn't be out there this week with this opportunity. It's tough, you know, But at the same time, I've I've been trusting these guys, you know every step of the way, and you know they've done it. So you just got to keep faith, keep a good mindset. And yeah, there's a lot of respect for for what
these guys have done. And and again I'm hoping to add to that mark.
You said you've never seen Lamar like this.
What are you seeing? Great ball?
It's great ball.
He's a he's slinging it, he's running it, he's he's making everybody's jobs easier to make a defense job hard. And that's the MVP right there, and he's playing at that level.
What does you think you and Isaiah can stress the defense by being on the field together.
Yeah, you know, you look at you look at great players and how they can you know, hurt a defense. It's it's two great players, you know, if we're on the same side, if we're on different sides, it's something you got to pay attention to. You got to give him his respect, You got to give me my respects. So, yeah, that's stuff for a defense.
That sweet is it gonna be?
How big is this game going to be for you to pop back and.
Get in it. It's big. It's big.
It's obviously it's big for for everybody in this organization. And you know, it's not about me, it's not about anything like that. It's just about coming to airplane, you know, eleven man football, offense, defense, special teams and getting to win. And it gets a good team to gets kinsas city. So we're excited about that.
That was tight end Mark Andrews and we can't wait to see him back in the uniform this weekend. Now, the game is at three pm. We're encouraging fans to get to your seats by two thirty pm to make sure you're in place for all the pregame festivities. Should be an electric atmosphere. Ray Lewis and Ed Reed are going to be there as legends of the game, along with a whole bunch of other stars, so we can't
wait for this environment. We know the bank is going to be electric, and we can't wait to see you there. Thanks for listening, and we'll be back with you again on Sunday.