John Harbaugh, Nate Wiggins, & Keaton Mitchell: Ravens Press Conferences 6/6/25

Welcome into the Ravens Press Pass podcast. It is Friday, June sixth. The Ravens wrapped up another day of organized team activities and after practice we had a chance to hear from head coach John Hartball.

Good to see everybody out here. Appreciate you being out here.

Beautiful day, great setting, This awesome head coach Gruden here and for two days working with us, and we've just had so much respect for him over the years. He's a football he loves football. He's a great football coach, great football mind. And he studied our team and gave us some insight players, coaches, schemes, all of it, you know, and and we just really appreciate having him here. So it was a real blessing. He was commenting on this

Here.

You got these trees around here, the setting, there's no there's no fences, there's no traffic. You know, there's a little construction, but that's not gonna last forever. Did you guys hear did you get the fumes during practice?

The tar?

The tar? That was part of our strategy.

You want the guys to go to, you know, play no huddle when they're tired with tar fumes in their face. You never know when that could happen. But the construction Whiting Turn is doing a great job. And then we got doctor Z here today. I read about his story. I think it was the Baltimore Sun, maybe it was the Banner. I don't know who was it who did the doctor Z story. Nobody's taking credit for you. Guys are sports guys. You don't know. Stay in your lane.

He's he's the doctor that.

Sees patients in downtown Baltimore mostly free at charge whatever they can afford to pay, and has been doing his whole career, saved lives, countless lives with what he's done. He's here with his whole family, and we get a chance to honor him. Somebody that's doing you talk about doing the good works. You doing the good works Jonas, you know the good works Capital g W the good works man. This is it's an honor to have him here. He's a real hero. Okay, what questions you have with Rudin?

How did that come out? I mean, did is there any story behind that?

No, we talked from time to time.

I happen to see him in Tampa a couple of times because we're down there with my Alison's playing down there, and he's down there and Loots got his office and his place there. And then we went down there last off season off of an offensive staff as Monk and I and George gotsee and spent some time with him down there. So you know, he's been around with us, and UH known him since he was in Philly. Uh when I was coming in and he was he was going out to be the head coach of the Raiders.

What he gave him a locker you gave him here.

Did you give him the playbook?

No, we didn't give the playbook. We didn't give a script either. You know, only goes so far. You know you gotta draw the line somewhere. Good, good question.

What what did he see? You know? Some some terms of looking at you guys visit So I.

Didn't say to share just to give you a general overview.

He studied us, you know, and basically the message was, you know, if I was game planning against you your defense, what would I do and how would I attack you guys? And he didn't just stop there. He watched our offensive guys, He talked to our offensive guys, looked at all the players, had something for each player, just you know, phenomenal and very very detailed.

Great teacher too.

Moders, Yeah, I don't know, I don't know. He Yeah, he was grinding pretty good on some guys. You know, he was letting he was letting them know where they can get better, which I respect him. I think a great coach is not afraid to tell people where they can improve and don't don't don't every doesn't.

Every player want to know that, you know.

And he has so much respect for guys and and still at the same time letting them know that, hey, this is what I see you can improve at.

Aaron kind of just your reaction of having hair Rodgers.

In the division, I really don't have a reaction.

I mean just respect, you know, respect for respect for the Steelers, obviously, respect for the h the team that they have, the coaches that they have, uh the head coach, coach Tomlin. And then obviously we've always respected Aaron Rodgers as a player. I mean he's Hall of Fame quarterback. So we'll have to go against the hall of fame quarterback with uh with one of the premier teams in the league, you know, and who happens to be our arch rival, So we'll be preparing for that.

Speaking about contract extension and mentioned.

How he hopes to kind of create a new era for wide receiver meeting and reception in Baltimore.

What does it meaning is seeing him get that contract in.

Just his desire and the success that he's had as a draftive wide receiver meetings with there, well, it means a lot, you know. And he's uh, him and Zay I think both have done so well as drafted wide receivers here first round picks. To see those guys be successful, to see where Shod be successful. I just I love him,

Got me another chance to talk to Chuck a Donner yesterday. Now that he's been here, back here for a few months.

Now, what's it been like, Because it was a long time ago when he was here, how have you kind of seem not necessarily changed, but maybe evolve as a coach compared.

To how he was back then.

Yeah, Luke, the days are long, but the years is short. You know, it seems just like yesterday, you know, when Chuck was here. But it's been great. Chuck has never changed in the sense he's always just been a great guy, high enthusiasm, enthusiasm unknown to mankind, kind of a coach, kind of a person, family man, leader, friend. The players have really attached themselves to him in a great way from the back end, and and I think Zach as well.

More out here. Since the I think it was the second oga that we were the first one. We were at the second one last week. Did you expect that? Is it to your knowledge? Is it just Lamar being Lamar and just choosing to not be or is it contract related.

Or yeah, I'm not taking any position on it's judge, you get whatever. Lamar the day he was out here played great. I could see he was in great shape, through the ball, great, made the reads, new the offense excellent in an excellent kind of way. I thought he was fantastic. And when he comes back in practices, when that happens, I expect him to play.

At that level.

That's what you measure. You measure for any player, it's how they play. I'm not measuring, you know, really the attendance. I mean it's a voluntary camp, you know, So measuring that. I mean I love being out here, and I think all the players do. And when Lamar's out here, I promise you he loves being out here. You could see it when he was out here. So he's my guy. I love him and I can't wait to I can't wait to just get into this season and get going.

John we uc Kane.

Make a few players on the ball.

What role do you envision him and Bo Brady playing this season?

And do you think you're gonna add another safety before training camp?

Yeah? I envisioned those guys stepping up. I mean they have to, you know, and they have in training camps or in in Ota so far. Heading into the mini camp, they're gonna have to prove it. They're gonna have to earn it. And uh, there's always the possibility bringing someone in. I mean that's what we do, you know, So we'll see where that goes. But I think those guys are doing a great job.

Come to keep the train a little bit. What did you see from him now two years from from that improvement?

Yeah, he looks good.

I mean he looks way better than he did at the end of last season, I think, just as far as movement. Uh so, Uh, you know, I got high hopes. I'm not gonna lie. I would never lie.

Never lie. Might not tell you everything, never lie. H But I have high hopes for him, you know, I expect him to I expect him to be really good.

We're also talking to Nate Wiggins today. What have you seen now and coming to the second season out of Nate and his development.

At this office.

Well he saw him today.

Right, when you have a pick and a key breakup and a critical situation, expect him to be locked in and focused on on the little things, you know, rain drops make oceans. Man locked in on every little detail to be great, you know, and that's what he's focusing on.

We haven't seen hi.

Jake Humble with someone who got signed a little in Freez. We haven't seen him out here as are anything.

I mean, I know it's voluntary doms anything there is.

He had had a baby in the last few days, had a little baby boy. Uh, we should put that. We should announce that if he wants us to, we should put that out there with Jake baby. Yeah right, yeah, that's a good point. So that's why he's not here.

But last one not the officiality where a positive? Do you have account for Tyler Dans game hicles?

Do we have one? Tyler?

Oh?

Yeah, yeah, do it count? Yeah? You can get you right.

We must have had a bad angle, yeah yeah, no it was. There was no I can tell you this. They were all right down the middle, sou but I had a good angle seeing them. They were right down the middle. I made that sixty yarder you know, easily. So it was a good start, all right.

Thanks? Yep.

We also heard from a second year cornerback date Wagings.

The exactly where talked about your off season strength and conditioning routine.

Can you talk about what you did this offseason and how much weight you put on?

Uh?

Yeah, so this was all s it was a big off season for me, or just just gain weight and get a stronger. I gained like ten pounds. Uh I'm a lot strong, a lot bigger for uh yeah man, uh one eighty five?

What LOADI they ad qute when you wanna focus on adding eight?

Uh?

Really just I mean I was just uh getting a lot like injury wasn't my big things last year? Or just hitting the ground or like my shoulders hit the ground. Uh, body couldn't assort the contact. So really it was just uh again my body to physical take the con uh the con compact and yeah, you know what y'all BA said getting wait for him, he poked a.

Lot of pouring meals and meal craft. What did you have to do to put.

On that way?

Uh?

Really just stay and a lot of pro like mess potato stuff like that. I you know, a lot of steaks so yeah, is that hard for you.

To do that? They have way generally speaking periods of music.

Uh nah, it's it's a hard thing for me cause I got a fast on the type of them, so it's really hard for me to keep weight.

Yeah.

So like, uh, I mean when I get when I like, when I gain weight, I'm really like happy.

So yeah, they you you played mostly left corner back last year, obviously right corner back.

To get possibilities this year. You have a favorite shoulder to the player?

Uh?

Nah, I don't really my favorite shoulder, Like which, what's you like?

Like you you like the see the bawl gonna go with one shoulder?

Oh nah, I don't. No, I don't really have a favorite sholder. I I think I'm good on b great on both sides.

So hey, where how do you feel like you grow up most at uh this spring compared to where you were even maybe.

At the end of last season or just for growth as a player?

Uh?

I feel like my girlfriends a players uh commit Uh Like it's it's growing a lot. I mean from especially as last year. Like you said, like, uh like last season, I mean I don't feel like I was like really a pro yet now I'm getting like really like how how to be a pronoun? So I feel like, no, like it's it's gonna it's gonna play off may Con team.

Uh bringing in Malachi Starks in the drive. Now you got Starks you Hamilton Humphrey. How do you feel about the prospects heading into this season of this secondary Uh?

I mean I feel great about it.

Uh.

I feel like we gonna uh come out, come out fast. Uh we gonna come out fast. We're gonna come out uh like like everybody expected has.

To come out.

How's it been working with uh Chuck for Dynond.

Uh, It's been great. I mean, you know, he like, uh one of the Hall of Fame coaches, uh coaching Hall of famers. So I mean it's great picking up knowledge, uh everything he knows about the game.

So it's great.

I feel like him him come in is gonna help us and continue us to grow us great players.

We hed good. He came in immediately, had individuals she bout for guys. She sought it out.

Did you seek it out?

And what were some of the things plays situated.

About the summer?

Uh?

Yeah, Uh the main thing. Then he came in, H what's focused on me about what's just uh my press. He was like just getting my hands on since I'm like probably I wanted the fastest.

Oh god, so he was.

Like getting my hands on receivers. Shoot my hands guy, cause I wasn't really like running in the receiver in the league.

So they they were, uh quarterback can individion the Robbers and Pittsburgh there is uh I how much before you're looking and facing.

Him and uh and I'm sure you'd like to get a perfection.

To see Yeah, I mean it. It would be great to get to pick on uh A rod Man probably all think quarterback. I mean, uh, he's gonna yeah, I it's great facing him. I mean yeah, I really think I yeah.

I know he wasn't uh you taking the gun pick off?

What I mean?

What's it like to see him on the other side, to feel a lot of them tricks that.

A guy that you probably watched grom Yeah, got it now that you're right, well.

Who what's kind of your thoughts when you see him on the other side.

I mean, it's amazing this uh cause we both went to Clemson. Uh huh uh we both got like we both like know like the Clemson stuff. We both like, uh, he come to he can come Clinton lot when I was there, so I mean we got like a lot of connections and it I mean it's great. I know he like twelve year in the league. I mean, yeah, man, it's it's great going against and he could teach me a lot of a lot of knowledge.

So yeah, we also heard from running back Keaton Mitchell.

You have to eat Throb.

I just feeling good, Yes, sir, it's feeling great.

Was there a point, uh when you felt like you turned us more? Obviously you came back in that season, but yeah, kind of had a schedule and I and I'm sure he's Yeah, we often see guys in the second year after that of the year you kind of get back from the rough.

Was there?

What did you have that kind of moment from.

You at all to where I felt back normal?

Yeah?

Uh yeah.

Once we got that break, I did a lot of rehab, like really like being focused on coming back and being back to myself. So, uh, when I came back, I was back normal. So cause it feel different this year definitely, it's a.

What's it been like now?

I mean Derrick Henry, of course this is his second year here in the off Is he you being a young running back going through what you went.

Through last year? How are you how he interview, what kind of influences he out on you? How has he helped your going back?

Just really taking care of my body off the field. You know, he a Hall of Fame type of guy. Just making sure everything that he say, make sure don't go through one year one ear and out the other. So just taking that in consideration and just uh looking up to him, watching him what he do like at like watching how he became a vet, Like just taking care of his body, how he uh been in the league for so long and just stuff like that.

So he in last ye year you were focused on getting back on the.

Fields the time.

Are there any particular.

Parts of your game that you're looking at mcrew or ways that you wanna contribute more in the offense, what.

Special team whatever, whatever they need me to do, I'm dying to do it. Just is taking a step in his role. So I'm just feeling in his spot doing all the dirty work whatever they need me to do. So I'm ready for what they need me to do just to win the Super Bowl.

Johnny just said that if you're much different now than you were even at the end of the last year.

As a how tentative was.

Were you, say, November December when you first came back last year versus now?

Yeah, just like the mental part, uh coming back, you know, you always thinking about your knee, worried about what's gonna happen, what's gonna happen if I get tackled, But just overcoming that. I'm way much better. I'm out there like normal, not worried about what my need doing, just being confident in my knee and my rehab.

So we did about a month ago twenty two point four.

Is there?

Is that still your your top speeding? I guess what we're condition.

Yeah.

So when I first got here, I ran like twenty two point two. Uh so I just hit twenty two point four a couple of weeks ago. So definitely feeling good, uh back to myself.

So I know, was that through really high process, TV, through you know, and everything, something helpfully like through the off season, get back on the field, get back.

From we're gonna mentioned something, you know.

Yeah.

Uh, you know, when you face adversity like a career ending injury, you need those type of guys with you. Just to keep you in a positive mindset and making sure you're okay. So I appreciate them guys trying Tavius uh for being there for me. So hats off to them.

Guys you often like a n.

They was just making sure I made it to the season and made it the OTA safely. So then I think it was gonna be correct ending. Nah, just cause I know who I am and like how was raised that gotta finish what I started, So anything that it took, I know I was gonna come back and be ready to go. I'm definitely doing that, especially uh since if

So you want to do.

Whatever they need you to do. But aside from winning your Super Bowl, what does success look like for you individually? Individually, success playing preseason game one and finish it to the last game, whatever that is, just staying healthy and available for the team.

I know's a have a lot of experience with the turn I don't.

Remember kick return, and in college they didn't really let me do too much to keep return. So but it's like a natural instinct. It's like an outside zone play for a running back. So uh, it's kind of natural.

So yeah, and with that, where where'd you do'd you clock?

That? We was in the indoor We were doing some sprints. I was like, really, uh, Anthony Miller, me and him were running with each other and he was like, uh, he trying to hit top speed today. So I was like, really, I wasn't planning on running that fast, but I guess I just came back. He was like, I hit my pr for the soya.

I know it doesn't matter a whole lot until what kinds come on, But what do you see from trends sens of in his development.

Just coming out here being like a vet vocal leader, trying to tell the younger guys what to do. Uh, but most of being a vocal leader.

So yeah, you're listening to the Ravens Press Past podcast, make sure you hit subscribe. Also head over to the Lounge podcast feed and subscribe there as well. Thank you so much for listening. We'll be back with you again soon.