Welcome to the Ravens Press Pass Podcast. The Ravens were back on the practice field today preparing for an AFC North matchup on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers. It was a bonus day of media availability and we had a chance to talk with a handful of players in the locker room. Here is running back Keith Mitchell.
Did the feel to be activated and play a game again?
It felt good. That was my first time putting on shoulder pads since December last year, so it felt good, just like a warm up game, So now it felt good. I was blessed.
Was there emotional at all? Just knowing all you've gone through over the past year to get back to this point.
For sure, for sure knowing that it was a career end the injury, So just me being blessed to be able to run and play the game that I love.
Yes, it was an emotional The coach Arball talking about the potential of a three headed monster with you guys in the backfield, what are your thoughts on that three headed mind?
Yes, yes, say them boys already warmed up going, so I'm gonna just warm up by kick return and whatever touches I get don't want to step on they toe because they're doing a great job with the duo right now. So but once I get goings three, it's gonna be a dangerous backfield.
Justly got you great speed and the ability to take.
To the house.
We saw that last year. I know, in terms of the volume at touches may not be either compared to what you had a year ago. But what you're one said, just knowing that anytime you get it, you could make something happen.
Yes, sir, just the same mindset as last year. Whatever I get, I gotta make them go. So uh, just having that same mindset, be.
Patient to get back. But now do you feel like you have to be patient to kind of get up speed for sure?
Yeah? Yeah, just be patient, take advantage of every opportunity that I get. Just hopefully I can get going fast.
So what have you heard this week of Belt Deal week and just how big this game always is, especially for Sunday.
Yeah, just uh whatever, whatever UH plans they got in the game plan running the UH Special team. Just whenever I'm out there on the UH field, just just know that I had the game took it away for me for ten months. So whatever I get out there, just be blessed and uh make something happen.
What was the process like behind the scenes over these last seven months.
Ooh, the process from learning how to walk again, trying to get all my infliction back like it it was a long process. Everybody come up me, come up to me and say that went by fast, But to me, it didn't go by fast. It seemed like it took forever. But now the process was it was just grind every day. I didn't go home, probably went home like two weeks. Uh, just been uh up here trying to get back to my last year self. So when I come back that I'm not really missing nothing. So it was a long process.
You feel like being able to get close to the speed that you have for.
Shirt, for sure, I didn't. I didn't hit faster than what I hit last year. So just being able to do that is just blessed for another opportunity.
That was that in the training session or what did you hit that speed?
Yeah, it was just doing speed work with the strength and conditioning staff just uh yeah, just the speed days. It was getting faster.
So so when you when you hit that, was that kind of a milestone to you that Hey, you can give.
Me back to your own self.
Yep, yeah, yeah, I knew. Once I hit my speed, I was like, okay, now that I got that, now it's time to get the football portion of my ability back. Just yeah, just being able to play football, not just using my speed, because I can't really use my speed all the time in football. So, Brian, last, at.
What point did you sort of feel like, Okay, yeah, I'm turning the corner with this and you felt.
Sort of back to so, I say, a couple of weeks ago, but I know I still got some stuff to improve in. So just day by day, game by game, I'm just gonna be working on that.
And so.
Next is wide receiver or shot batement?
What makes these matchups so tough?
Though?
I know you haven't been here for all of them, but a lot of them are one score games and kind of doesn't really matter what the team is like entering the contest, record.
Was, Oh, I just know that it means a lot to the organization, to the division, to the conference. We also know that you know it's a rivalry. You know it means something to the fans. So it's a lot to play for. You know what is division? You know, whether it's for the fans or you know, our community. So there's definitely a lot.
To play for this game to be played for first on Sunday.
What does that mean to you?
It means a lot. You know, we've been here before, we know the task of hands, and we just gotta go our job.
We'd like Deontay. It's obviously hard to make a transition mid season. How have you seen him kind of get settled in and get up to speed with things?
He's awsomes. I mean, it's been a it's been amazing. Deontay's a you know, phenomena football player. You know, we're glad to have him and definitely give us more weapons, you know, be more creative with our offense. So definitely excited to see what we do with him and you know you do with this offense.
Just what what's the challenge of the Steelers defense presents? You know, you've seen him a number of times over the year. Has been talents in a group? What kind of challenge probably gonna throw at you?
I was gonna say everywhere, you know, respect to them, you know they're good in all areas and in the back end, linebackers, in up front, but you know, like we always say we can and recal. I think we just gotta come out and you know, do our job and you know, see what happens.
Then.
Yeah, I know you're asked about this does as rivalry in general? Is there anything since you've been here that like first comes to mind when you think of a rare Steelers trying to.
The last one we had and we didn't win, so we need to just go win this one.
Yeah, they've won seven of the last eight. And again I know every season stiff and every game is differ because that sit well with you guys knowing how much of a rivalry it is. And they've taken seven of the last year. Were aware.
I wasn't aware of that at all, all our noise that we we lost the ones that we should have won. So I think we're all looking forward to, you know, go out and you know, redeem ourself from the past. You know, get the doubt.
Is it safe to say this Steelers defense that talks so much and leads this team has not seen a Ravens offense like this.
You know, they got the right to speak, you know, they you know they're winning games and they should be confident. But you know, no, I don't think that, you know, if they're facing opponent, you know, like us with Mark Jackson and all the weapons that we have, So you know, it's definitely a good bottom and I'm society to play with.
Next up is wide receiver Deontay Johnson.
Yeah.
I mean, you know, they working me in that slowly, but you know, I'm just I just go out there, you know, whenever they call my number, going to going to uh you know, like I said, I don't know, I don't can't go in there, just expecting a lot, you know, just putting a lot of pressure on myself. You know, however the game goes, you know, I'm I'm all for it.
Is it weird being on the other side, That's what.
Yeah, it is. Uh just like being back in that stadium where it all started. You know, Uh, it's gonna be different. I actually never been in that way locker room, so it's that's gonna be.
Different for me.
But like I'm ready to get back there just to meet see the gre good people that you know, made relationships with and stuff like that. But other than that, uh, it's it's a uh a big moment for me. So do you talk to your old teammates all the time, all the time. This week, Uh, I talked to George a lot, Calvin pretty much the officer of guys or the DEEPENSI of guys. You know that I was close with, uh, that I keep in touch with from here and there.
So how do you feel about this batch?
Wait time the other day?
What what you guys do you specifically?
So?
Uh? I talked to T J. Watt a little bit, Cam Heyward, uh, George Pickens, Calvin all to nadge you a little bit, Cam Sutton pretty much the guys that I was that was there with. So you know, we kind of got a good relationship. So I kind of keep in touch with it.
But do you have a favorite moment of this rivalry even though that you were on the opposing side for the majority of it?
Mm ah, one game when we played I came Braveness came to us twenty twenty one. I had a good game that that game. I had two touchdowns. But yeah, that's why I remember.
Yeah, just for you, as you've been here for a few weeks now, how has it been kind of getting up the speed and getting the offense down and all all of the stuff. That goes along with changing teams.
It's cool. It's just really the terminology. You just gotta really pay attention to know what you're doing when you get in there. Uh, just to show them that you retaining everything, you putting the right stuff on film.
You know.
I'm just taking it one day at a time. So it's it's really just learning the formations and stuff like that. And then, like I said, I'm just My job is to go out there and be me, and that's what I'm trying to do.
We also heard from cornerbacker Davis White. The Ravens traded for him last week and a deal with the Rams. He talked about that deal and his thoughts on joining this team. What was your reaction to the move here and how's it been over the past a few days.
It's exciting. Anytime you know someone traced for you, that means that they want you and they see some potential in you. So for that, I'm grateful and I'm thankful. I'm just ready to get on the field and play some football. You know, I've been in acting for a while, so it's excited to be able to get the opportunity to go out there and showcase the Tens.
What was your first job when you knew it was the Ravens who were trading for you. And how you contentially feel on this team.
Uh, you know, for a long time, I always respected you know, but this team has always been about the culture of it. So many great players in the past, so from Afar, I always respected the grid, the hunger and the tenacity. This group always played with an attitude. So anytime I can come in and add, you know, be a part of it, I'm all for it.
What's your realistic expectation for yourself when you do excuse me, when you do come in?
Uh, come, I come in.
Play football, you know, Uh, line up, get the call, try to look at the offense and try to eliminate things, look at formations and try to go go in and make make plays. I'm come in and you know pretty much play sound football and play raven football to eleven guys to the ball, and you play team total defense. You know, everything's always gonna pay off when you play together.
And they grew up in in late But what's your sense of this secondary They've been honest about not playing to their standard and allowing too much, especially in the past. Defense what is your take on the group that's here and the work that they're getting done to correct u U.
It's it's a lot of guys in the secondary that uh I respect it for a long period of time. Uh yeah, Eddie Marlin, you know B Steve's uh you know Marcus. You know Marcus and I actually trained to par to during the come by coming out, So I always got a lot of respect for those guys.
So any time I can come in.
And add my add my what I can do to it, Uh, I feel like, you know, this group is great. You know, it's just you know, we putting it all together. You know, NFL is a a week two week league, so uh, you don't never get to never get too high and never get too low. So I feel like, you know, if the group can keep confidence in themselves and then the the players speak for yourself, cause there been.
A conversation about your potential role in when you could see the field.
Uh, you know, this team is all about earning it.
So if I go out there, wow, uh and practice and and practice well, you know, uh, communicate well and learn to playbook and then go out there and you know, and the coaches are confident in.
What I can do.
Uh, you know that's all I am about. If I can go out there and earn it, then that's the way I want it to be.
Previous that, I know, earlier in your career, you know, you were playing like one of the top corners in the league. And I know injuries have been an issue recently. What do you what do you think it's gonna take for.
You to kind of get back to that level.
Uh, just playing consistent football, just continue to let the letting the reps stack up, and getting comfortable in the defense and learning my teammates, learning what my help is it on the field, so I can pretty much play to my strengths. So I feel like, you know, if I get back and just play play football, you know what I mean, getting around guys, it's you know, it gonna pump me up, just like i'm'a pump them up. And I feel like in this locker room, that's what we have.
What would you think your first real practice out there today?
Oh it's pretty good, you know. Uh, just to get around, you know, we d get around the football. Uh, just communicate with the guys, learn the defense, and actually when the bullets are flying and be able to uh pretty much execute the defense on the fly. You know, that's the that's the most important thing. So I feel like, you know, today was a step in the right direction.
I know you just gotta here.
But what's the kind of obvious thing you see with the Steelers offense with the change to Russell's.
And I d I haven't got to watch the Stillers too much when they was with Justin Fields t and and so I don't know what's the difference between he and Russell Wilson in the offering. But I what I do know is the still there is a hard nosed group that's always been a historic u uh, that's the history with 'em.
So uh.
I I had a opportunity to play I'm a couple times when I was in Buffalo, so uh, I already know what the stiller is about there, about playing tough defense, running the ball and then making big plays on the outside.
So uh, you know you limit, you limit.
That's with any team on defense. If you limit big time plays and limit an explosive, you'll have a chance.
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