Welcome into the Ravens Press Past podcast. The date is Monday, March seventeenth, Happy Saint Patrick's Day Ravens fans, and today we held a press conference for left tackle Ronnie Stanley where he addressed his recent contract extension.
Kick it off with Jamison, I'm sure you have one for us. Yeah. Yeah, I can't find that raised hand function. I've it's been a while, sinp doing that. Ronnie. There was a lot of buzz about you if you reached free agency, about how there could even be a bidding war for you. What went into your decision to sign with the Ravens before free agency.
I mean, I think it just goes back to the fact that they drafted me, you know, straight out of college, took a chance on me. So you know, I'm always gonna give them first staves when it comes to, you know, things like that, out of respect.
Brian Whacker.
Yeah, just along those lines, Ronnie, you know, was there any was there ever any part of you that was you know, even just a little curious about considering kind of going elsewhere and and you know, anything else beyond that in terms of decision to come back.
Yeah, I mean I was very I was open to whatever was going to happen. You know, I knew the cap situation we were in, and you know how many players we need to play pay, you know, current and future, you know, the younger guys, and so I knew it wasn't gonna be like a personal thing. So going into it, I was kind of, you know, open to what was going to happen, and you know, ended up working for the best.
Yeah, three beat Ronnie.
How important you know we've seen you in recent years increasing your leadership role, working with some of the guys before and after practice. How important is kind of legacy to you and kind of being able to say that you played at the same place your whole career.
Yeah, I mean, that's a good question because that definitely gets brought up to me a lot, especially going into my tenth year. I'm all, I'm going to be in Baltimore, and that's something that ever growing up, I've never even that wasn't even like a goal of mine. Really, that wasn't something I ever thought about. But that being said,
it actually happening. I realizing how rare of the thing it is, and I think it's just a really cool thing to be able to spend my you know, ten years of my career plus with the same team that I got drafted with, and you know, I don't know the percentages of things like that happening, but I think that's a really cool thing. I'm very happy and appreciative that I could be a to be one of those players that I could experience that.
All right, you need to work on this, you guys.
Rone you mentioned on understanding the cap situation. I was wondering if that was something that you kept in mind as you're negotiating with the team, just thinking about what they need to do to be able to build this roster as they're resigning you.
Yeah, I mean, that's definitely something that crosses my mind, But I don't think that was, you know, the main driver for at all. I just think I know, I knew I was going to give Baltimore, you know, the best kind of the best bargain that I would you know,
offer any other team. But that being said, I still wanted to be happy with, you know, what I'm making and make sure I'm getting the value that you know, I feel like I deserve from you know, just the job description and you know, the things that go into when my job has to do so, I think, and the deal was I think it was a good balance to help the team and something I'm still happy with.
Pete Gilbert, Hey, Ronnie, I'm also curious.
I mean, you guys have this elite offense, but you know, does it also feel kind of like a little bit of unfinished business as well? To want to make sure that you know, you know how good you can be, just haven't quite gotten in the postseason where you want to go.
Yeah, for sure, I don't think there's you know, we've broken so many records last however many years.
I don't think we really care.
About it, to be honest, especially the guys that I've been here, I think the only thing we really care about is winning a super Bowl. So yeah, all that other stuff, for sure is nice and all, but yeah, definitely unfinished business.
I don't think anyone's really happy.
Kyle good Hey Ronnie, I know, you know, obviously it's a very a personal decision to you, but how much of the factor was your relationship with Lamar? How you know this offense has really been built around him, and were able to talk to him before you made your decision or after?
I think, well, first of all, I think, you know, my decision to come back, I think the players for sure had a I think the biggest role to doing that. The locker room and the type of players that we have, including Lamar. And I was talking to Lamar a lot, but not about contracts. But me and Lamar we talk all the time. But you know, he never really brings that stuff up. I never really brought that stuff up
to him when he was going through his deal. I think we just you know, we just talked more like brothers, you know, so, but yeah, we talked to the whole process, not once of all contracts and but the players are definitely the biggest driver of why I like being in Baltimore.
Left Brown.
Yeah, Ronnie, you played all seventeen games and a career high snaps last year. Just wondering how proud were you able to do that? And also haven't played ten years. How much have you learned about you know, some of it's luck, but taking care of yourself feeling like I really have, you know, quite a few more years left to play league football. Is that's something that you think about this point?
Yeah, I mean, like you said, I think part of it is luck, Like you have to get a little lucky to not you know, have something bad happened in this game. But the other side of it is taking care of your body, and I feel like that's something I always try to put an emphasis on, you know, throughout my whole career. I always try to look for to get different advantages and flexibility, hydration, whatever it is. I'm sorry, I forgot the first question you asked.
I think, well, it's kind of tied together.
Just how proud were you able to do that?
But oh, yeah, I gotcha.
Okay, So yeah, I mean I was very happy to play all these all the games this year. But I don't think for me, it was something that I was thinking about too much. Like before, you know, injuries, I want to play, so it's like if I can play on the play, So it's not really something I'm thinking about too much.
You know, it's just go out there and play.
But after the fact, you know, you hear like, oh, you played so many games, so many snaps. It started reminding me throughout the season. I'm like, I'm not even thinking about it. I'm just if I can play on a play. If I can't because I'm injured, I can't, that's just the nature of it. But that being said, very happy, fortunate, blessed that I was able to come out healthy, and you know, I'm feeling great.
No of a trister.
Yeah, Hi, Ronnie, I'm just curious what your reaction was when you saw that DeAndre Hopkins was coming to Baltimore. And I guess what challenge is facing the offensive line upendi replays? Patrick McCarry.
I mean, I had a huge smile on my face when we assigned DD hop You know, you know what you're getting with that guy. You know, I think it's a Hall of Fame caliber wide receiver. And you know, I still think he has a lot of good UH reps, years seasons in him, and he's a physical player, he's a competitive player, and I think he's gonna fit into our team really well. And then your second question, replacing
pass gonna be tough. He's, you know, behind Tyler, I think, well, I know he's the next, you know, most knowledgeable.
Guy understanding the entire offense.
You know, that's and I think past like one of the best examples of what professional, you know, football player.
Should be like. And I know Jacksonville they got it.
They got a great player in him, and he's going to be a great leader for them, and we're definitely gonna miss him here. He's he's been, you know, a great player for us. He's played every single position. He's a unicorn, So we're gonna miss.
Him, James, and he really Hey, Ronnie, was there anything during the process, when you know, negotiations with the Ravens that did you ever feel there was a point where you might not you know, return to the Ravens, that you might go in touch free agency?
Was there any part in that process that you thought that.
I don't think we ever got that far to really feel that about it, you know, I always yeah, I didn't really feel that yet. You know, they showed their interests, we were talking, and so I think it's just through the whole time, I knew that they were interested and we were possibly going to get something done.
So do a couple more here, Ryan Mink.
Yeah, Ronnie, congrats, wondering you know, mostly offensive line is returning. How big a deal is that to have that continuity? And then you know, Andrew Voorhees is a guy who could certainly start next to you at left guard. Just your thoughts on Varheeves and his development last year.
I think having all the guys back is a big deal, you know, just to have that chemistry. But it's a new season, so I think, you know, we have to come in with that mindset. We have to you know, kind of build all that back up. It's not just gonna kind of roll over.
And and I.
Think Andrew vorhe's I think he's gonna have a great career. I think he's a prototypical NFL guard, and I think he's gonna you know, he's gonna battle with those uh those big d tackles, you know, second to none, So he'll be he'll be great. And he's a smart guy as well, very intelligent athletic, very excited to work with him.
Let's go to Brian Whacker and then we'll close it with Gianahan afterwards.
Ronnie, just I think the last time we saw you obviously upset after that Bill's game. Just curious how long it took you to get over that.
I couldn't tell you the exact timeline, but definitely took me a minute to get over that. But you know, those those those are the type of games that you know, just stick with you for a while, maybe even a lifetime. So, but I think the focus is on, you know, seeing all the opportunities around, all the good things that came, you know, not only from the season, but even from that game. There's a lot of a lot of good things that that happened that game, even though we didn't
get the result wanted. But I think it's it's good to look at the positives that come from a lot of these negatives.
Yeah, just as a as a fallow up there. You know, what do you think you guys need to do to kind of get over that hump?
It is?
You know, is it kind of as simple as executing better when you get those chances in the playoffs or is it, you know, something else.
Yeah, I think it's as simple as that. I think it's I think it's just getting out of our own the way a little bit, not being ourselves.
Gianna, do you have a last question?
Yes, Ronnie, now that you have had a few weeks, I'm curious how you would evaluate your season last year as a whole and what do you want to improve on or show now that you're back.
I was very I was happy with the way I played. I was specifically just like I think just my mindset that I had throughout the whole year. I think that's what was probably the thing that made me the happiest.
I thought I played well.
You know, I still think I can play better, and you know that's just how I am. But I do think there's a lot to improve on, just getting stronger, smarter, understand the game, more.
Better footwork, all the little things.
And I think that's what it's allowed me to play for as long as I have is you know, I just there's always little things that can get better, and you know, those things add up and and you know people are looking like, oh, he's doing something crazy, but it's really just little things.
All right.
Right.
We will close it with that, so thank you all for being here today, and Ronnie, thank you very much for your time and congratulations again.
See y' all soon.
Thank you guys, appreciate it.
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