Ravens Owner Steve Bisciotti, Head Coach John Harbaugh, and President Sashi Brown join team insider Garrett Downing to discuss how continuity has bred success and their shared championship vision, look back on drafting quarterbacks Joe Flacco and Lamar Jackson, provide their outlook on the future of M&T Bank Stadium, and much more.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
Welcome into the lounge presented by Draftings. I'm Garrett Downing
and I'm joined by Clifton Brown, and we are here
in West Palm Beach, Florida, at the Breakers Hotel where
the NFL is holding their annual owners meetings. All owners
and head coaches and general managers are here, and we're
wrapping up a few days here in Florida, and it's
been a busy, productive few days of work for us
and of course for the league as a whole at
(00:26):
these meetings. And part of the conversation that we had
a chance to have here is with Ravens owner Steve A.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Shotty.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
Of course, the Ravens and John Harbaugh reached a contract
extension just before these meetings, so I had a chance
to sit down with Steve and John together talking about
their relationship that's seventeen years and going on four more,
and the mindset that they have going into this season.
So we're going to go ahead and roll that interview
(00:54):
and Cliff and I will then share our thoughts on
the backside of that conversation. Hey, Ravens, and I'm so
excited today to be joined by Raven's owner Steve Mashatti
and head coach John Harwell, thank you so much for
the time today.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
Pleasure good to be here.
Speaker 1 (01:07):
So right before the owner's meeting started, news broke that
you have a new contract extension and obviously very excited,
I'm sure for you and for you Steve getting this
deal done. What has you most excited about the future
with John and this.
Speaker 4 (01:21):
Team, Steady steady. I think we were doing a lot
of the right things. And yeah, it's it's not a
lot of work. I don't know if you spend any
time on it, but I didn't. I mean, you've got
an agent, you know, I've got SACI. So it's just
kind of we knew it was going to come. It
wasn't like a surprise, I don't think to either of us.
(01:44):
It was just I didn't know how long it was
going to take to work out the deal. But I
think you're his agent, probably was excited to get it
done as quickly as we were. And I don't think
it took much time, and there wasn't much, you know,
much deal or just extend a thing.
Speaker 3 (02:01):
I think he demanded more money but suggested you suggest
appreciate a strong suggestions, So yeah, we're happy to have them.
Speaker 1 (02:16):
For four more years, John, for you know, you've been
here seventeen years obviously, you know that's that's that's rare
in the NFL. I don't need to tell you that.
And this is going to take you past twenty What
does that mean to you?
Speaker 5 (02:28):
It just means more determined than ever. I mean, I
think just when you have an opportunity to be together
all these years like this, and we've had so many moments,
you know, and I think it's like life kind of
is a metaphor for life. You know, the challenges, there's opportunities,
there's obstacles, there's conversations, there's all these things that come
up and you and you walk these journeys together, you know,
(02:50):
and I feel like you kind of build these relationships
with people. And Steve, I've said this before, he's become
like a big brother. You know. I have a little brother,
you know, but I never had an older brother, and
to have over the course of this time, just what
we've been through together, I just want to make him proud,
and I want to work hard and I want to
find a way to just to continue to improve. I
(03:12):
feel proud about the things that we've accomplished. But you know, unfulfilled.
You know, you feel like all we're really thinking about. Yeah,
we weren't talking about any of this other stuff. Yeah,
we were talking about let's get this done, you know,
let's accomplish what we want to accomplish. Right now.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
I'm curious how that dynamic works in season and out
of season. How the two of you, the conversations that
you have the council, you know, especially you lean on
Sea four during the season, and how you push each other,
because this is like a partnership. As you're talking about,
how does that relationship work over the course of the year.
Speaker 4 (03:45):
I think I don't come out of left field very
often to him when I'm giving him advice. I think
that we like have our lanes. And I know what
he's going through because he's the face of the franchise.
He's going through these decisions. He's being questioned and criticized
(04:05):
and everything else, and so I take it seriously. It
makes me mad when he's unduly criticized. If he's criticized
and I agree with it, I kind of have to
work my way into telling you that I agree with
the criticism. Yeah, you know, it's like you write a
(04:27):
sharp knife, not about it. So, yeah, it's just I
love feeling like at the end of the day that
I contributed to his north. I know what he wants,
I know what he wants to accomplish. Can he get
distracted sometimes, yeah, because there are distractions all around him.
(04:50):
There's no distractions around me. So I think it's my
opportunity to kind of like pull him back and remind him.
I'm not telling him to be some I'm reminding him
that he might be a hair off of being what
he wants to be when he wants to be, you know.
So you know, I like my role, and I like
my role being behind the scenes. I don't I don't
(05:14):
wish that on him, you know, but it's part for
the course. That's why he makes it more money than
I do.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
I'll take the.
Speaker 5 (05:25):
Books on that. It's true though. I mean, it's just
there's a lot going on. I mean there's a lot
of you're driving this car, man, there's light flashing everywhere,
and there's traffic everywhere, there's people zooming around, and and
you get on the phone and or we'll talk, or
Steve will stop buying and sit down on the couch
sometimes and just you know, have you thought about this,
(05:45):
or maybe you should be looking at it that way,
or did you hear this happened, or here's what I
was thinking when when that situation came up. I thought
you were going to make this movie. You're going to
make that decision, and and it just has a chance
to kind of just get back on track a little
bit or just not maybe not be so distracted about
something or blinded by something. Stuff can get you kind
of emotionally sidetracked, you know, I can be thinking about
(06:07):
something too much. Sometimes He's like, why you're worried about that,
that's not even that's not even what we're talking about here.
Speaker 3 (06:12):
That the main thing, it's not the main the main
thing now right right.
Speaker 5 (06:15):
Right, And that's that's valuable. And for head coach, you
don't get that too often because it's not too often
the players are going to say that. It's not even
too often Eric will say it to me, Will sometimes,
but or even the coaches, because they're all in there,
they're in their forest. You know, I'm trying to be
their forest for the trees, but I've got to have
somebody to be my step back and take a big
picture look at it.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
You mentioned Eric, and for both of you. The stability
has been the name of the game for for the
Ravens for forever. And you went from Ossie to Eric
and there's this great partnership between personnel and coaching, and
that is not the case everywhere, as both of you know,
how important has that been, the dynamic between both sides
being aligned in the direction that you're going.
Speaker 4 (06:57):
It's obviously it's everything, you know. The only the hiring
processes is fraught with mistakes because you don't have the time.
I mean, we spent ten hours together before I hired you,
and that lasted it's now seventeen years. So how do
(07:19):
you not make mistakes? So I see my partners, my
business partners, they make mistakes, but it's not necessarily that
they're bad judges of character or talent or anything. It's
that they are under the gun. They don't have time
to get to know people were hiring strangers, you know.
I mean I did that in my business my whole life.
(07:43):
And Art was great at it too, and so like
you know, I came in under his tutelage, and that
was the one thing I think Art was great at.
It wasudge judging character, keeping a family environment, keeping it honest,
transparent environment. I thought he was really good at all
(08:03):
those skills, and then he hands me Azzie. I mean,
he drafts him in the first round, and then he says,
if you're giving up football, you're not giving up the Browns.
So scouting or coaching, you decide. So I inherit him,
and one of his first hires is Eric. So that's
put in, you know, right there. I inherit a coach.
(08:26):
Three years after I take charge, I replace him with John.
And continuity is a gift that you get. You try
and participate in that continuity, but it's really it's bigger
than people. You've got to really work at it, and
(08:49):
it can it can go sideways if you don't, if
you don't work hard at it. And that it is
like we get complimented by the contuity, and it's like, well,
what's the alternative? Rolling through coaches, Well, then you're picking
the wrong people obviously, and they're failing at their job.
Speaker 5 (09:09):
Not just choosing the right people. Although I think as
I've looked at it, you've always done that. I mean,
Steve is always that's what that's that's how you you
made a fortune by choosing people. But it's not just
choosing people, it's also working with people. It's also coaching people,
developing people along the way. Countless conversations where he's advised
me about an interaction with a player or a coach
(09:31):
or scouting or something or hey, or I'll just call
up say guy, we're having a problem. I'm hat a problem.
What do I say in this situation? How would you
look at this? And we'll be in the phone for
hours sometimes going through it all, and You've always got
a take on it that I never really thought about.
You know, it's always some other type of an angle
that is just kind of I would say, Wow, that's
(09:51):
another way to look at it. And it's The NFL
is kind of fraught with fault lines. The biggest one
is the coaching in the scouting fault line in every organization.
I'm sure every dynamic has there's power, and there's pushes
and pull and who's in charge of what and all
that kind of stuff. That is never I've never felt
that in our organization ever. And because of the people.
The people are the people positioned in these different spots,
(10:14):
but the people here when you walk in or you
walk into an office, you have a conversation. You see
them in the parking lot. They're good people. They're good
people who have the same goal. But we all know
what the expectations are because the boss sets the standard.
This is how we're going to treat one another. This
is how we're going to interact with one another. There's
never been like who's in charge of this or whatever.
(10:35):
Everybody understands their area of responsibility and they just want
it to be good. But everybody works with one another.
We don't agree to disagree on anything. We agree to
agree ultimately on everything. But that's the work you're talking about.
Speaker 4 (10:49):
Right, Yeah, the work exactly. My strength is that I
bought a hobby, not a business. I've been in business.
I was successful at business in that business. When I
got into this, I wanted it to be an uber hobby.
And I think that it freed me to look at
(11:12):
this next career of mine as when you as not
life and death, because I spent twenty years like everything
was life and death.
Speaker 3 (11:22):
And so I have a partner and it's life and
death for him, right for me?
Speaker 5 (11:29):
Yeah, absolutely, and it's.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
Not for me.
Speaker 4 (11:31):
And so I think that that's why I can give
good counsel because it's not life or death for me.
Speaker 1 (11:39):
A huge part of it too is the quarterback. And
You've had a lot of consistency and stability at quarterback
throughout your tenure, and of course with Lamar there's this
partnership that exists. How significant has that been in your success?
Not just on the field self. I mean, we watch
Lamar every week and he's incredible in terms terms of
(12:00):
the things.
Speaker 4 (12:00):
That he does.
Speaker 1 (12:00):
But that stability at quarterback and having Lamar as or quarterback,
how big of a bole has that played?
Speaker 3 (12:06):
Well?
Speaker 5 (12:06):
It's been massive. When I first got here, we were
looking for a quarterback and I was it was new
to me. I was coming as a special teams coach
kind of guy, and they were talking about drafting the
franchise quarterback and with the seventh pick in the draft,
and the strategy that was involved in that. I remember
a conversation we had at the base of the steps
I'll come off the practice field where Steve and Ozzie
(12:28):
and Eric dick casts were involved in this, and I'm
just like, I'm just listening and learning and watching, how's
this going to go? And they and they worked it
all and we ended up with Joe Flacco and it
was it was amazing.
Speaker 6 (12:40):
I'll never forget it, that conversation.
Speaker 4 (12:43):
Oh yeah, and exactly where you said we were, because
I had been. I had taken over in two thousand
and four. And then Kyle Bowler didn't work out like
we hoped he would, and then Steve McNair comes in
and then his body breaks down, and then two of
six turns into a terrible two oh seven, which leaves
us with the eighth pick in the draft. Hire him,
(13:05):
And I'm there's they're saying that there's one first round
quarterback in that draft that year, and it was Matt Ryan,
and I said, I don't care what you have to
give him, like the whole Mike Dicka Ricky Williams.
Speaker 3 (13:17):
Thing, like, I don't care.
Speaker 4 (13:19):
I'm not I'm not so dug into the value of
draft picks right now because without Matt Ryan.
Speaker 3 (13:25):
We're not going to be any good and you have
to have the quarterback. Got to have the quarterback.
Speaker 4 (13:30):
So to me, it was like, stop talking to me
about draft assets when there is no I want a
team asset, and that is the You're everybody in the
world is saying that there's one first round quarterback and
It turned really out to be true because we're the
ones that went back in and got Joe.
Speaker 3 (13:48):
Cam said, this.
Speaker 4 (13:49):
Guy's got as much upside as Ryan. You shouldn't give
up the world. We can do just as well with Joe.
And I was like, all right, you better I don't
know you very well, you better not be wrong.
Speaker 5 (14:04):
Appreciated.
Speaker 3 (14:06):
And so that's what we did.
Speaker 4 (14:07):
And so we traded out instead of down and got
Joe and we had a hell over run with Joe
and we were able to parlay this into seven more years.
Speaker 3 (14:17):
So we have had a nice run.
Speaker 5 (14:19):
And then we had Lamar in the same sort of
a situation. I mean, Lamar was not the top rated guy,
right that was that was a different kind of year
because there was a bunch of quarterbacks that year and
we had the conversation about Lamar and the draft meetings
all the way through on the phone. How many times
did we talk, but we didn't want anybody to know,
and we did. We were in the draft meetings, and
the conversation kind of came back around, you know, and
(14:41):
it ended up being can we build an offense around
Lamar Jackson?
Speaker 3 (14:44):
Can we do it?
Speaker 5 (14:45):
And we decided that we could and then we'd give
it a shot. But that wasn't the end of it,
because we still had to get them. And I remember
the draft day on that one, I had stepped out
because we had made the pick of Hayden and still
Lamar was kind of in the back of everybody's mind.
And I'd gone out to eat like a like an
ice cream cone or something, you know, I'm trying to relax.
I come back in an in there buzzn't Steve's buzzing Eric,
(15:05):
and how's your buzzin' And he looks at me and
I'm like like this. He goes that was a conversation.
Speaker 3 (15:11):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, And we went back and got Lamar.
Speaker 5 (15:14):
Of like, we went back and got Joe.
Speaker 4 (15:16):
And and made just what you said, building a team.
Can we build an offense around Lamar?
Speaker 3 (15:24):
Well?
Speaker 4 (15:24):
Can we build a team around this coach? Can we
build a company around the employees I absorbed from Art Modell.
Speaker 3 (15:33):
That's the question.
Speaker 4 (15:34):
It's like, well, you can, if you do it right,
if you're if you're dedicated to it, if you're really
good at it, yes you can.
Speaker 3 (15:40):
And that's you go back from May to you to.
Speaker 4 (15:44):
Lamar, and people are saying, what are they saying now
that they couldn't build an offense around Lamar.
Speaker 3 (15:50):
How silly does that sound?
Speaker 4 (15:52):
Now? Because we were looking at it like, oh, there's
a big you know thing. It's like, no, it really isn't.
Speaker 3 (15:58):
It is not as hard as we're thinking.
Speaker 6 (16:02):
So it's interesting.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
So you going back to that point when when you
drafted Lamar, you felt like, because it's easy to say.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
Now that oh no brain er.
Speaker 1 (16:10):
Of course you could build it around him, and everyone
have envisioned this success. But like he was the thirty
second pick.
Speaker 3 (16:16):
Wanted him to work out as a receiver, right, and
so it's not.
Speaker 1 (16:20):
For running back exactly. And so to make that decision
at the time, it was it was considered a risk.
What made you feel like this is the right route
we want to go? And how has he just changed
his team?
Speaker 4 (16:33):
I don't even look at it at as a risk, really,
I don't. I don't like that word, because if it failed,
we failed. It wasn't that Lamar failed. So at the
minute we're making an out of the box again, how
out of the box was it? I just thought, well,
(16:54):
it's going to succeed because we're going to mitigate the risk.
That's the whole point of taking on risks is having
confidence in your partners that you can mitigate it and
bring it down to almost no risk at all.
Speaker 5 (17:07):
Really, what was the risk? I remember looking back and
having this conversation, It's like, Okay, everybody was chasing the
prototype kind of quarterback, which was Joe who was very successful,
but also the Mannings, the Brady's and those guys. Everybody
wanted that type of a quarterback. How many of those
guys were that that won Super Bowl? They're so hard
to find and they were so overvalued that it became
kind of impossible. Those were actually the unicorns. Now you've
(17:30):
got a guy that looks a little different in the
style of play, yet he's super talented. So you could
look at the way he play and you say, this
is a very talented quarterback, a very talented football player.
He's a value because of that. It just is kind
of different than what other people are looking for. They see,
so is our opportunity to get him where we were
drafted and kind of went up. So it really wasn't
(17:50):
a big risk that way. It was just a different
kind of a choice.
Speaker 1 (17:54):
You made this point today, and you've been a supporter
obviously of Lamar since the day came in and you
made the point that it's a matter of when, not if,
he wins that Super Bowl, and of course you're all
working towards that just how badly, I guess do you
want it for Lamar? Of course for each other, but
for him, and he's been chasing that. You know, he
(18:14):
said that on the day, the moment he was drafted.
Speaker 5 (18:16):
He didn't put it in the words came and expressed it.
It's like so deep, it's so deep inside, such a desire,
just such a determination to get it done for Really,
you're right, for Lamar, for all the guys, I mean,
every single person in that locker room, every single person
in that building, Steve, all of us, we want that
kind of success because I mean, yeah, I think we're
(18:37):
doing process. We're doing so many things right. But you
know what, we haven't been able to be good enough
when we needed to be good enough to take the
next step to get that much closer. And even if
we'd won the championship game two years ago against the Chiefs,
we still would have had to win the Super Bowl.
If we'd have beaten the Bills last year, we still
would have had to beat the Chiefs and win the
Super Bowl. So there are other steps We've got to
get good enough and everything we do so in those
(18:59):
moments has come the next time around that we can
come through, you know. But we all want it for
each other, and so we want it for Lamar, absolutely
want it for each other.
Speaker 4 (19:08):
I don't look at Lamar singularly. It's such a I
wonder for Ronnie Stanley, I want for Marlon Humphrey. You know,
It's like it just doesn't stop with Lamar. Lamar doesn't
even stand out to me as who I'm brooting for
right like we've been doing this forever. I want it
for Eric to constant as he technically won a Super
(19:29):
Bowl as a GM No. So it's like, okay, I
want that. Ozzie got a couple of them. I want
Eric to get it.
Speaker 5 (19:36):
So it's like, yeah, yeah, we want for the fans too.
Speaker 3 (19:39):
Man.
Speaker 5 (19:39):
I almost see the fans dance in the streets like
they weren't in twenty thirteen, like they were in two thousand.
Speaker 4 (19:44):
I don't like waiting twelve years, and yet I'm respectful
of the fact that I've got partners downstairs that still
don't have one impatience is good for you. I think
it's healthy to a degree because you know, all of
us still feel it, you know. And if I had
burned through four coaches, then it would be completely different,
(20:05):
because it's like, okay, now let's see what you can do,
and now let's see I.
Speaker 3 (20:08):
Know what we can do.
Speaker 4 (20:09):
I know that we work to put ourselves in position
to win and we all get credit for that. And
that's all you can do. And I hate it that
every year you just have to start back over again.
But you know what, this is not for the meek,
(20:31):
you know.
Speaker 5 (20:33):
And when we win it, we're gonna start all over
again and again.
Speaker 3 (20:35):
Yeah, it'll let that euphoriable.
Speaker 5 (20:43):
But I want to.
Speaker 3 (20:44):
I want to. I want to have that problem. It's
like like everything else, Like every game, it'll be a relief.
Speaker 4 (20:51):
It's not like how well you're just you just then think,
oh good, now it's been no year since our last right,
and then it'll be one, and then it'll be two,
and then it'll be three and we'll be going, damn it.
Speaker 3 (21:04):
I wanted to repeat, no, I want you know, well, maybe.
Speaker 4 (21:07):
We were repeating we've got a window. We've got a window.
Speaker 1 (21:10):
With Lamar Steve, I know you are super into the draft.
I know you've joked in the past about you know,
hasslan Eric during this time of the year.
Speaker 5 (21:17):
Enjoying me a couple of days since his last draft calls.
Speaker 1 (21:21):
On this.
Speaker 5 (21:22):
How long were we on the phone. It was a
couple of hours.
Speaker 3 (21:24):
I'm pulling up a receiver that you were like, oh,
I love him.
Speaker 4 (21:29):
He's he's like a sixth round undrafted and we both
are like, okay, yeah.
Speaker 3 (21:35):
Yeah, I love it. I just love it.
Speaker 4 (21:37):
I always said that in free I tell my friends
free agency, we have a budget, and we quickly burned
through it, like this year, Like we came back to
Jupiter and it was we don't need a wholesale change.
We need to figure out how many of our guys
we had more free agents than we had money available
to spend, and that happens every year. But we weren't
(22:00):
really looking outside the organization. And then we're psyched to
get Ricard and it's like to get Ronnie, and it's
like to get Thailand. It's it's like, but we had
a lot of let a lot of them go, and
that's never a good thing. But you know, going in
you're gonna have more free agents that you want than
you have money to spend on it, right.
Speaker 5 (22:18):
So I tell a good thing.
Speaker 4 (22:20):
I tell people that's that's my money, that's our money.
But the draft is already in Eric's budget. So I
say the draft is like going Christmas shopping with somebody
else's credit card.
Speaker 3 (22:36):
That's how exciting it is.
Speaker 4 (22:37):
Because they're all free, they've already been accounted for it,
they're already paid for it. So I just love it,
and I love watching these guys. I can't believe some
succeed and I can't believe some fail. You know, It's
like when I go through the people that we've loved.
I've loved more than you, You've loved more than me,
and some of them are great. In some of them
(22:57):
you think, how did that person? How did that guy fail?
You know, But there's so much that goes into it
that we don't really know their backstories to a degree.
Speaker 3 (23:05):
But yeah, it's fun.
Speaker 4 (23:06):
It's my hobby on top of my main hobby. That's
my real that's my off season hobby.
Speaker 3 (23:12):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (23:12):
And I'm sure I know you love the draft too,
or you fired up about just just the process and
the prospects.
Speaker 5 (23:17):
You can't talk about it enough. I mean just watching
the tape, the grind to that part of a one
hundred and seventy one players we were talking about, you know,
and Steve seen guys and it's just it is. It's fun.
It's like who fits our team? You know, who do
you really want? Well, ask the coaches all the time,
and Eric asked the questions. It's just tell me who
you want, tell me who you want. You see a
spot form in this team, and who you excited about.
(23:39):
That's kind of that's the fun part.
Speaker 1 (23:41):
Of taking it beyond the field. The organization is in
a great shape. The stadium lease is in place, there's
exciting renovations happening at the stadium, there's renovations happening at
the undearned Performance Center. How pleased are you when you
look at the state of the organization as a whole,
beyond just the football team, but where this team sits
organization wide goes.
Speaker 4 (23:59):
Back to the continuity you're talking about. I had one
president for twenty years and sas she's stuck with me
for twenty more. And it's just money, it's just debt.
It's just we want the best for our fans. I
want the best for my players. So yeah, physical facilities,
(24:21):
that's just a no brainer. I wouldn't ever get I
wouldn't get caught behind. I'd rather be one step ahead
of that stuff. And God bless the State of Maryland.
You know, they came up with the money, they didn't
get it to the point Art Modell was in Cleveland
and Ursay was here in Baltimore. It was like the
state realized that they've got a gym there at Camden
(24:44):
Yards and they needed to be proactive, and they showed us,
without fighting, how the state can work with teams. And
I know David is appreciative of it too across the
stre So we've got a great thing going here, both
baseball and football.
Speaker 5 (25:04):
I got a question about that. You talk about a
gem at Camdon Yards, and some of these other stadiums
that they're already built come of the same era that
they're tearing down and replacing. You You've got this gem
at M and T Bank Stadium that you've you're you're
you know, making better and renovating. But it is kind
of becoming an iconic stadium.
Speaker 3 (25:21):
Right Yeah, I think so.
Speaker 4 (25:23):
And part of that is is M and T standing
stepping up and giving us extension upon extension, and they're
they're great, they're they're just a great partner. So yeah,
I think that when you say iconic, it's like win games,
and certainly the name on the stadium better stay the same.
Speaker 1 (25:40):
Yeah, And it has become, to your point, a place
that when we talk to these free agents who come in,
they say, man, we played here in twenty twenty one
and it was so tough. You know, the night game
there was so tough, and I remember that game on
Sunday Night Football. I think it's developed a reputation around
the NFL.
Speaker 5 (25:55):
Yeah, I didn't think driving up to it, like you see,
it's got the brick and the steel and it's night
lights and the way it's set up, it just it's
going to last forever. It's not going to be one
of those you know, look like a spaceship landing there.
Speaker 7 (26:06):
Now.
Speaker 4 (26:07):
Listen, we started construction after Camden Yards, so it was
only fitting that we kind of tried to do something
that was similar, that was old school and so old
school lasts.
Speaker 3 (26:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (26:20):
So lastly, you're this is the thirtieth season of Ravens
football in Baltimore for both of you. Obviously has been
a great run up to this point for these first
these first thirty years. What do you envision for the
next thirty years of Baltimore Ravens football.
Speaker 3 (26:36):
I don't know. I don't know. I want to. I
just I want to win now. I don't. I don't,
I don't. I don't give a damn about thirty years
from now. I really don't. I want to win now.
I want to win with these guys. I want to
I want to win now.
Speaker 5 (26:50):
Yeah, thirty days from now, I'm talking about draft coming up.
Speaker 3 (26:54):
Coming up.
Speaker 6 (26:55):
You guys are fired up by this year. I can
tell it.
Speaker 1 (26:57):
Just it seems like there's just the energy and enthusiasm
and you're ready to play.
Speaker 5 (27:01):
Yeah, we're gonna be great. We're gonna be a great team.
We're gonna do it every day. We got to be
good at the things that really matter. You know, we're determined.
Speaker 6 (27:07):
It's awesome. Well, thank you so much for the time.
I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (27:10):
Thank you.
Speaker 5 (27:10):
Thanks ging.
Speaker 2 (27:12):
So Cliff.
Speaker 1 (27:13):
Obviously just insightful Stelf. I thought from from Steve and
from John and talking about I really think the relationship
that they have and the connection that they have.
Speaker 7 (27:23):
Yeah, a great job by you in an interview, I thought,
yeah too, And also, yes, the chemistry that they have
extremely important. You know, ladyship opposite between owner, owner, head
coach uh kind of sets the tone in a lot
of ways along with the general manager in the direction
that the Braves go, and they are so much on
the same page. I think that interview gave it insight
(27:45):
of how they interact, that they are not afraid to
express their opinions, but they're always on the same page.
And that you know, Steven Shaddy, you know, I believe
views himself as someone to help John along the way
for particularly during the season where it's so emotional wins
and losses every week, the ups and downs. What a
(28:07):
great sounding board for John to have someone like Steve
who knows the team so well, knows him so well,
can kind of help him keep the steady pace and
get back focused on the next week if you're coming
off a disappointing loss. And yeah, I mean, you don't
want a person that you always agree with, but you
want a person that you can always work with. And
(28:28):
the fact that they've been able to work together so
successfully so long has been a really key part of
the raid and success.
Speaker 1 (28:35):
Yeah, Steve made the point in the conversation that he
views himself as being able to see the forest through
the trees. John is in it, and the day to
day he's dealing, he's in the trenches. He's dealing with coaches,
he's dealing with players, he's dealing with game planning. He
is living the highs and lows of an NFL season,
where Steve can look at it from that aerial view
and say, you know, what about going this route or
(28:56):
what about trying this and how just that type of perspective,
and obviously, you know, he's he's the owner and he
can call the shots, but he also defers to John
and allows him to make decisions as well. And of
course Eric, so I thought that that was, you know,
interesting perspective in terms of how he sees that dynamic
and that relationship. And I do think in that conversation
(29:17):
you've got to see how they play off of each other.
You know, they joked and had some good moments in there.
And then the other part to me that that really
I think stood out is just the stability. And it's
stability at like every level. It's stability ownership, itstability to
head coach stability and from a personnel standpoint and the
stability a quarterback. And like when during John's tenure, it
(29:39):
was it went straight from Joe to Lamar. And it's
rare to have a coach that's been here in one
spot for seventeen years. It almost never happens, right. It's
also rare to have a coach who's had just essentially
two quarterbacks in his tenure. That's also incredibly rare. And
so I thought the perspective on that was enlightening, no question.
Speaker 7 (29:59):
I mean, that's a blessing the Ravens have had to
have two quarterbacks like that, and particularly back to back. Yeah,
that's been a blessing. But give the Ravens foresight that
they were able to make those moves. I mean, no question,
when the Ravens drafted Joe Flack or not, everyone was saying, Oh,
this is going to be a great move. He's going
to be a Super Bowl winning quarterback. Lamar had to
(30:20):
watch thirty one other people drafted in front of him
before he was taken. There were so many questions about
Lamar when he came to the league, what he can do,
what he can do, and how good he's going to be.
The Ravens had the foresight to make that move to
go get him, and obviously they're reaping the benefits.
Speaker 1 (30:35):
And the thing about that that's crazy is that, you know,
I asked, basically, everyone else is saying this is this
is a risk, and this is a big question and
all this stuff, and it looks like it was a
no brainer now, But that wasn't the conversation. You go
back to twenty eighteen and Steve's point that like, well,
it's only a risk if you don't kind of believe
in the system, the ability to build around him and
(30:57):
the ability to set him up for success, and so
he didn't.
Speaker 2 (31:00):
They didn't see it as this big risk.
Speaker 1 (31:01):
And I thought that was just interesting way of looking
at it.
Speaker 7 (31:05):
It is, when you make the commitment to draft Lamar,
then you also have to have the foresight or should
have the foresight to maximize what he does best and
build the entire system, as John often says, around him.
That's what the Ravens have done, and I believe in
Todd Monkin it's even going to another level allowing Lamar
the freedom, as he says, to give him the keys
(31:25):
to the offense to drive the car. When you have
a talent like Lamar Jackson. He is one of one,
not only with his talent, but his versatility the things
that he can do. The Ravens, I think, are still
building on taking advantage of all the things Lamar can do.
But you can see that this whole system has been
set up for him to succeed. And also one point
(31:47):
with John two. I give Steve a lot of ANDASI
and everyone who was involved with decision to hire John
Harlball as a guy who had been a long time
special teams coach.
Speaker 6 (31:57):
That was an.
Speaker 7 (31:57):
Outside the box move. It's still an outside the box
move all these years later. There aren't many teams that
will give a special teams coach who has never been
a coordinator the head coaching job. They just, to me
don't have the courage even if the person does will
in an interview to make that move. The Ravens did,
and look how well it's paid off.
Speaker 4 (32:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (32:17):
And the last point that that I'll mention that really
stands out to me is how driven both of them are.
You can tell that it ticks them off the way
last season ended and being so close to these last
few years and and they're doing everything possible. Uh, from
a coaching standpoint right now, John and the staff and
they're building the system and they're talking about ways to
evolve and improve and and Steve is pushing as well,
(32:41):
like there's there's not a there's there's an impatience around
not winning a Super Bowl and then that and that's
something that is driving them and you can tell in
that conversation. So they're they're doing everything possible to make
that happen now. In addition to sitting down with both
of them, also had a chance to talk with Ravens
President Sashi Brown about some of the big business objectives
(33:01):
that the team has right now and the focus on
that side of things as well.
Speaker 2 (33:05):
So let's go ahead and roll that conversation.
Speaker 1 (33:07):
Here a Ravens fans, I'm excited now to be joined
by Ravens President Sashi Brown.
Speaker 6 (33:12):
So she we're here at the league meetings.
Speaker 1 (33:14):
And as you look at the organization right now, what
do you see as the key areas of focus.
Speaker 2 (33:20):
For the team?
Speaker 8 (33:21):
I think it's first at a really exciting time. You know,
we've got two times some would say three times MVP,
a quarterback leading us one of the most exciting athletes
in the world. Much less quarterback in our.
Speaker 9 (33:34):
Sport in Lamar, Derek and all the players.
Speaker 8 (33:37):
So we always keep the main thing, the main thing,
which is let's win as many football games as we
can and field a championship level squad. And Eric and
John have done a masterful job at leading us and
situating the franchise to do just that.
Speaker 9 (33:52):
So that's the first thing. So it's a great time
to just be a fan of the team.
Speaker 8 (33:57):
And then, you know, I think it's a really exciting
time in the history of the French We've extended our
lease which has allowed us in partnership with Maryland to
make a major investment and reimagine really M and T
Bank Stadium and the fan experience, which was already.
Speaker 9 (34:11):
You know, we're usually one two three in.
Speaker 8 (34:13):
The league given the year in terms of our stadium
experience of fan experience, but now we're able to reinvest
in that alongside Maryland and bring a lot more to
the game day experience and all that tailgating experience, bring
it right to the stadium footprint with a ton of
new spaces and exciting opportunities. So it's a great time
to be the Ravens fans and we're really excited to
(34:35):
roll out this second phase of renovations for the flock.
Speaker 1 (34:38):
Well, you mentioned those renovations are ongoing both at the
under Armed Performance Center and at MT Bank Stadium.
Speaker 6 (34:44):
At the stadium, what has you excited.
Speaker 1 (34:45):
About these renovations in terms of bringing the stadium to
the next phase of its iteration.
Speaker 8 (34:50):
Well, first of all, I think it's just a volume
of new opportunities and spaces that in fan experiences that
you'll see. So everybody when they come to the stadium,
they're going to see technology immediately.
Speaker 9 (35:05):
That's a huge part of what we wanted to do.
Speaker 8 (35:08):
We understand that nobody wants to miss a second of
the game, so we are heavily investing to make sure
that we update our technology around the stadium. The second
thing is there's a ton of new spaces. Last year
you saw the Miller Like gatehouse. It was one of
our most popular additions, so people were able to take
in the roof deck and obviously the beer hall as well.
Speaker 9 (35:29):
But this year we're going to start to see the
plaza come to life.
Speaker 8 (35:32):
One of our challenges is when we built the stadium originally,
is we built out very small retail space, so Ravens
fans will have a place to come in Baltimore three
hundred and sixty five days a year, not even just
limited to game days, to come get merchandise in apparel
and a huge news store. With our partnership with Fanatics,
is going to be a really exciting opportunity to get
(35:52):
more in different type of Ravens apparel, your jerseys and
all the things, of course, but just a lot more products.
Speaker 9 (35:57):
So there's a ton of new spaces for people to take.
Speaker 8 (36:00):
Advantage of, and the plazas are going to be awesome
to bring that tailgate experience that's so unique to Baltimore
right onto our state and footprint.
Speaker 1 (36:07):
So something that fans don't get to see, but you
and I were living through it is a construction at
the Unheur owned Performance Center. There's a lot going on.
What can you share about the work that's happening at UAPC.
Speaker 8 (36:19):
Well not too much right now, but we knew if
you can believe it, the Castle, which is still I
think one of the best training facilities in sports and
part of our legacy, really needed an investment on the
football side. There's been so much progress and evolution. We
went to the front of the class in ahead when.
Speaker 9 (36:38):
We first built the castle.
Speaker 8 (36:40):
But I think now at under armed training facility, you've
seen colleges at the D one level and other facilities
built around the NFL that have just progressed and pushed
forward what a modern training facility looks like. We hadn't
made major changes to our football side of the building.
We added a wing some years ago on the business
(37:02):
side to accommodate an increase in headcount and expanding staff,
but we really wanted to invest in our players and
their experience, and so we've got some new, high powered,
really well thought out and big designs that we've shared
with our players and I wait until we unveil them
(37:22):
here with Chad and the rest of the PR team.
Speaker 1 (37:25):
So it's actually one of the things that was announced
earlier today here at the league meetings is the global
markets program and the Ravens have now entered the UK
market and been granted UK marketing rights. So what's the
significance of this.
Speaker 8 (37:39):
Yeah, grateful for the NFL granting us those rights. The
UK has been a place we've played two games already
and the growth of the NFL game internationally is booming.
So you know about flag football coming to the Olympics
in twenty twenty eight, So it's a global game. We've
seen a lot of that growth here locally in Maryland,
(38:00):
we're right on the verge of getting Girls' Flag Young
Women's Flag to be sanctioned at the state level, with
scores of teams across different counties playing now inter school
and so you know, we look at the growth of
the game internationally, we look at UK as one of
(38:21):
the places that's really going to be a bedrock for us.
I mean, the game is well established there, there are
two or three games, they are played every year. We
thought it was a natural fit for us, and there's
a lot of commonality and love for our brand over there.
So we're happy to get the win last time. We
went over a year before last against Tennessee, pulled Derek
(38:42):
over to our.
Speaker 9 (38:42):
Side, and we'll be ready to go back and get
after it.
Speaker 8 (38:45):
But we've seen a huge amount of appetite the game
growing in South America, Mexico, Central America, but also in Europe,
and so UK I thought was a great fit for us.
Easy to bring fans over. We've had a couple come
over already, and easy for us get back over to play.
Speaker 5 (39:00):
Some more games.
Speaker 1 (39:01):
Something that I get asked about as much as almost
anything football related is often uniforms.
Speaker 6 (39:07):
So I'm sure you get these questions all the time.
Speaker 4 (39:09):
You know.
Speaker 1 (39:09):
Of course people love to talk about the games and
what happens in those, but people love to talk about uniforms.
Last year we unveiled the new helmets, the Purple Rising helmets,
which were these fans were certainly excited about. Is there
anything on the horizon on the uniform front.
Speaker 8 (39:22):
You know, nothing at this point to be announced. I
know people have asked me that I was asked yesterday
by the media, But it's always exciting to think about.
Speaker 9 (39:31):
Reality is we have just a super closet.
Speaker 8 (39:33):
I mean, I think our all black uniforms are probably
the best uniforms in the league, not to knock the
purple white and the new Purple. So we like all
of our variations and really excited to roll out some
of the work that was done by Brad Downs and
our marketing team and Kenko who runs our equipment staff.
(39:55):
They've been working on a few things to come up
with that color combination with the all purple, which was
rolled out beautifully in the win against Cincinnati, and.
Speaker 1 (40:04):
Lastly, Slash you just you just wrapped up your third
season as team president. What are the biggest takeaways that
you've had in these first three seasons and what has
you excited about the future.
Speaker 9 (40:14):
Yeah, I have my open and press conference.
Speaker 8 (40:16):
I talked about humbling seeing, you know, one of my
mentors and Dick casts sitting with me as he you know,
moved on into quasi retirement. We keep Dick busy still
on occasion. Loved to see him coming to practice and
hanging around the facility and helping us out on strategic initiatives.
But humbling was the word that I described it then,
And still humbling, you know. I go into every day
(40:38):
with the mentality of trying to make us better and
make sure that I'm leading alongside John and Steve and
Eric and Ozzie and the rest of the crew. We've
got a fantastic team of fantastic people. We're in very
much service to our fan base and to our community.
And so, you know, I love the job, love the franchise,
love the city.
Speaker 9 (40:56):
Love the people. I couldn't ask for more.
Speaker 8 (40:58):
Really excited every day and every day is different. We
have a lot of important, exciting projects that have taken
place over these three years and made a lot of
progress on each of those.
Speaker 9 (41:09):
So the future is bright, very thankful.
Speaker 8 (41:11):
We've I think we've got the best ownership group in
the league with Stephen Renee and so you know, we
got John extended. You know, things are really really great
right now and I'm happy to play.
Speaker 9 (41:22):
My small part of that.
Speaker 6 (41:23):
It's good time to be a Ravens fan. That's it awesome, Sahi,
thank you so much.
Speaker 9 (41:27):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (41:28):
That was Ravens President Sashi Brown.
Speaker 1 (41:30):
You're listening to the Lounge podcast and we are coming
to you from the Sea Geek studio. We also want
to mention our partners at Draft King Sportsbook. They are
an official sports betting partner of the Baltimore Ravens Draft
King Sportsbook.
Speaker 2 (41:39):
The Crown is yours.
Speaker 1 (41:40):
So in the conversation which Sash, she covered some of
the big things that are happening with this team right now.
Renovations at MPTY Bay Stadium, renovations at the under Own
Performance Center, and I think it's just going to continue
to make the stadium specifically, like the Ravens are investing
in that game day experience. We talked with Judy Batista
yesterday on the podcast about just how great a game
(42:03):
day atmosphere that is. The Ravens want that to continue,
and so these renovations are going to help.
Speaker 7 (42:08):
Out that now absolutely. And you know, just like there's
competition on the field, there's competition.
Speaker 9 (42:14):
Off the field.
Speaker 7 (42:15):
I mean, so many teams are building new stadiums and
making renovations, and every team wants their fans to come
out obviously and support the team, you know, and the
Ravens I think are continuing to stay a step ahead
of the competition as far as making changes that make
it even more attractive and more fun to come to
(42:35):
M and T. It's a stadium that you know, over
the years, I mean when you look at M and
T Banks Stadium, it does it looks like, you know,
one of the brand new stadium. It doesn't look like
a stadium that has been along around as laws it has.
There's always new things every year now in the land
next two to three years, you're going to see new
things not only inside the stadium but around the stadium
(42:56):
to make the atmosphere more like a party atmosphere. And
when you can buy the passion of the Ravens fans
with a good team with that venue, it just makes
it the place to be. I mean, I love it,
especially night games and M and T. There's really no
other experience like we go other places, but the buzz,
even before its opening kickoff, is just one of my
(43:16):
favorite parts of going to M and T Bank Stadium.
And that's something the Ravens and everyone who works for them,
they're actively making that happen. It doesn't just come together
by accident. That a lot of people working hard behind
the scenes and make it happen, and a Sashi said
he appreciates those efforts and that's going to continue.
Speaker 1 (43:32):
What's your favorite, asked him about uniforms. What is your
number one on your list? What's your what's your favorite uni?
Speaker 7 (43:39):
Well, it used to be in the white purple combination,
but I think the all the All Black I think
that might be my favorite.
Speaker 2 (43:47):
She mentioned that too. Yeah, that's that one that seems
like that's the fan favorite.
Speaker 4 (43:51):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (43:51):
I mean to me, it's just you see Derek Henry
and All Black. I think he's gonna take it to
the house, like every play.
Speaker 1 (43:57):
Well, what did they were in the All Black set
against in Buffalo when he did that? What first play
of the games? Secont play of the game, so it
worked out pretty well there, absolutely so I also liked
I like the purple with alternate helmet helmet Purple Rising uniforms.
I'm a big fan of those two. So yeah, it's
it's exciting to talk to uniforms and all these other
things that are happening. So as always, we love hearing
(44:17):
from you, the fans, the listeners, the viewers. You can
email us at the lounge at Ravens dot NFL dot
net let us know your thoughts, your questions that you
have coming out of these meetings. Has been a productive
few days, like I mentioned here in Florida, and the
meetings have wrapped up and then we're gonna be heading home.
But a good few days here, and thank you so
much for watching and for listening.
Welcome into the lounge presented by Draftings. I'm Garrett Downing
and I'm joined by Clifton Brown, and we are here
in West Palm Beach, Florida, at the Breakers Hotel where
the NFL is holding their annual owners meetings. All owners
and head coaches and general managers are here, and we're
wrapping up a few days here in Florida, and it's
been a busy, productive few days of work for us
and of course for the league as a whole at
(00:26):
these meetings. And part of the conversation that we had
a chance to have here is with Ravens owner Steve A.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Shotty.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
Of course, the Ravens and John Harbaugh reached a contract
extension just before these meetings, so I had a chance
to sit down with Steve and John together talking about
their relationship that's seventeen years and going on four more,
and the mindset that they have going into this season.
So we're going to go ahead and roll that interview
(00:54):
and Cliff and I will then share our thoughts on
the backside of that conversation. Hey, Ravens, and I'm so
excited today to be joined by Raven's owner Steve Mashatti
and head coach John Harwell, thank you so much for
the time today.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
Pleasure good to be here.
Speaker 1 (01:07):
So right before the owner's meeting started, news broke that
you have a new contract extension and obviously very excited,
I'm sure for you and for you Steve getting this
deal done. What has you most excited about the future
with John and this.
Speaker 4 (01:21):
Team, Steady steady. I think we were doing a lot
of the right things. And yeah, it's it's not a
lot of work. I don't know if you spend any
time on it, but I didn't. I mean, you've got
an agent, you know, I've got SACI. So it's just
kind of we knew it was going to come. It
wasn't like a surprise, I don't think to either of us.
(01:44):
It was just I didn't know how long it was
going to take to work out the deal. But I
think you're his agent, probably was excited to get it
done as quickly as we were. And I don't think
it took much time, and there wasn't much, you know,
much deal or just extend a thing.
Speaker 3 (02:01):
I think he demanded more money but suggested you suggest
appreciate a strong suggestions, So yeah, we're happy to have them.
Speaker 1 (02:16):
For four more years, John, for you know, you've been
here seventeen years obviously, you know that's that's that's rare
in the NFL. I don't need to tell you that.
And this is going to take you past twenty What
does that mean to you?
Speaker 5 (02:28):
It just means more determined than ever. I mean, I
think just when you have an opportunity to be together
all these years like this, and we've had so many moments,
you know, and I think it's like life kind of
is a metaphor for life. You know, the challenges, there's opportunities,
there's obstacles, there's conversations, there's all these things that come
up and you and you walk these journeys together, you know,
(02:50):
and I feel like you kind of build these relationships
with people. And Steve, I've said this before, he's become
like a big brother. You know. I have a little brother,
you know, but I never had an older brother, and
to have over the course of this time, just what
we've been through together, I just want to make him proud,
and I want to work hard and I want to
find a way to just to continue to improve. I
(03:12):
feel proud about the things that we've accomplished. But you know, unfulfilled.
You know, you feel like all we're really thinking about. Yeah,
we weren't talking about any of this other stuff. Yeah,
we were talking about let's get this done, you know,
let's accomplish what we want to accomplish. Right now.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
I'm curious how that dynamic works in season and out
of season. How the two of you, the conversations that
you have the council, you know, especially you lean on
Sea four during the season, and how you push each other,
because this is like a partnership. As you're talking about,
how does that relationship work over the course of the year.
Speaker 4 (03:45):
I think I don't come out of left field very
often to him when I'm giving him advice. I think
that we like have our lanes. And I know what
he's going through because he's the face of the franchise.
He's going through these decisions. He's being questioned and criticized
(04:05):
and everything else, and so I take it seriously. It
makes me mad when he's unduly criticized. If he's criticized
and I agree with it, I kind of have to
work my way into telling you that I agree with
the criticism. Yeah, you know, it's like you write a
(04:27):
sharp knife, not about it. So, yeah, it's just I
love feeling like at the end of the day that
I contributed to his north. I know what he wants,
I know what he wants to accomplish. Can he get
distracted sometimes, yeah, because there are distractions all around him.
(04:50):
There's no distractions around me. So I think it's my
opportunity to kind of like pull him back and remind him.
I'm not telling him to be some I'm reminding him
that he might be a hair off of being what
he wants to be when he wants to be, you know.
So you know, I like my role, and I like
my role being behind the scenes. I don't I don't
(05:14):
wish that on him, you know, but it's part for
the course. That's why he makes it more money than
I do.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
I'll take the.
Speaker 5 (05:25):
Books on that. It's true though. I mean, it's just
there's a lot going on. I mean there's a lot
of you're driving this car, man, there's light flashing everywhere,
and there's traffic everywhere, there's people zooming around, and and
you get on the phone and or we'll talk, or
Steve will stop buying and sit down on the couch
sometimes and just you know, have you thought about this,
(05:45):
or maybe you should be looking at it that way,
or did you hear this happened, or here's what I
was thinking when when that situation came up. I thought
you were going to make this movie. You're going to
make that decision, and and it just has a chance
to kind of just get back on track a little
bit or just not maybe not be so distracted about
something or blinded by something. Stuff can get you kind
of emotionally sidetracked, you know, I can be thinking about
(06:07):
something too much. Sometimes He's like, why you're worried about that,
that's not even that's not even what we're talking about here.
Speaker 3 (06:12):
That the main thing, it's not the main the main
thing now right right.
Speaker 5 (06:15):
Right, And that's that's valuable. And for head coach, you
don't get that too often because it's not too often
the players are going to say that. It's not even
too often Eric will say it to me, Will sometimes,
but or even the coaches, because they're all in there,
they're in their forest. You know, I'm trying to be
their forest for the trees, but I've got to have
somebody to be my step back and take a big
picture look at it.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
You mentioned Eric, and for both of you. The stability
has been the name of the game for for the
Ravens for forever. And you went from Ossie to Eric
and there's this great partnership between personnel and coaching, and
that is not the case everywhere, as both of you know,
how important has that been, the dynamic between both sides
being aligned in the direction that you're going.
Speaker 4 (06:57):
It's obviously it's everything, you know. The only the hiring
processes is fraught with mistakes because you don't have the time.
I mean, we spent ten hours together before I hired you,
and that lasted it's now seventeen years. So how do
(07:19):
you not make mistakes? So I see my partners, my
business partners, they make mistakes, but it's not necessarily that
they're bad judges of character or talent or anything. It's
that they are under the gun. They don't have time
to get to know people were hiring strangers, you know.
I mean I did that in my business my whole life.
(07:43):
And Art was great at it too, and so like
you know, I came in under his tutelage, and that
was the one thing I think Art was great at.
It wasudge judging character, keeping a family environment, keeping it honest,
transparent environment. I thought he was really good at all
(08:03):
those skills, and then he hands me Azzie. I mean,
he drafts him in the first round, and then he says,
if you're giving up football, you're not giving up the Browns.
So scouting or coaching, you decide. So I inherit him,
and one of his first hires is Eric. So that's
put in, you know, right there. I inherit a coach.
(08:26):
Three years after I take charge, I replace him with John.
And continuity is a gift that you get. You try
and participate in that continuity, but it's really it's bigger
than people. You've got to really work at it, and
(08:49):
it can it can go sideways if you don't, if
you don't work hard at it. And that it is
like we get complimented by the contuity, and it's like, well,
what's the alternative? Rolling through coaches, Well, then you're picking
the wrong people obviously, and they're failing at their job.
Speaker 5 (09:09):
Not just choosing the right people. Although I think as
I've looked at it, you've always done that. I mean,
Steve is always that's what that's that's how you you
made a fortune by choosing people. But it's not just
choosing people, it's also working with people. It's also coaching people,
developing people along the way. Countless conversations where he's advised
me about an interaction with a player or a coach
(09:31):
or scouting or something or hey, or I'll just call
up say guy, we're having a problem. I'm hat a problem.
What do I say in this situation? How would you
look at this? And we'll be in the phone for
hours sometimes going through it all, and You've always got
a take on it that I never really thought about.
You know, it's always some other type of an angle
that is just kind of I would say, Wow, that's
(09:51):
another way to look at it. And it's The NFL
is kind of fraught with fault lines. The biggest one
is the coaching in the scouting fault line in every organization.
I'm sure every dynamic has there's power, and there's pushes
and pull and who's in charge of what and all
that kind of stuff. That is never I've never felt
that in our organization ever. And because of the people.
The people are the people positioned in these different spots,
(10:14):
but the people here when you walk in or you
walk into an office, you have a conversation. You see
them in the parking lot. They're good people. They're good
people who have the same goal. But we all know
what the expectations are because the boss sets the standard.
This is how we're going to treat one another. This
is how we're going to interact with one another. There's
never been like who's in charge of this or whatever.
(10:35):
Everybody understands their area of responsibility and they just want
it to be good. But everybody works with one another.
We don't agree to disagree on anything. We agree to
agree ultimately on everything. But that's the work you're talking about.
Speaker 4 (10:49):
Right, Yeah, the work exactly. My strength is that I
bought a hobby, not a business. I've been in business.
I was successful at business in that business. When I
got into this, I wanted it to be an uber hobby.
And I think that it freed me to look at
(11:12):
this next career of mine as when you as not
life and death, because I spent twenty years like everything
was life and death.
Speaker 3 (11:22):
And so I have a partner and it's life and
death for him, right for me?
Speaker 5 (11:29):
Yeah, absolutely, and it's.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
Not for me.
Speaker 4 (11:31):
And so I think that that's why I can give
good counsel because it's not life or death for me.
Speaker 1 (11:39):
A huge part of it too is the quarterback. And
You've had a lot of consistency and stability at quarterback
throughout your tenure, and of course with Lamar there's this
partnership that exists. How significant has that been in your success?
Not just on the field self. I mean, we watch
Lamar every week and he's incredible in terms terms of
(12:00):
the things.
Speaker 4 (12:00):
That he does.
Speaker 1 (12:00):
But that stability at quarterback and having Lamar as or quarterback,
how big of a bole has that played?
Speaker 3 (12:06):
Well?
Speaker 5 (12:06):
It's been massive. When I first got here, we were
looking for a quarterback and I was it was new
to me. I was coming as a special teams coach
kind of guy, and they were talking about drafting the
franchise quarterback and with the seventh pick in the draft,
and the strategy that was involved in that. I remember
a conversation we had at the base of the steps
I'll come off the practice field where Steve and Ozzie
(12:28):
and Eric dick casts were involved in this, and I'm
just like, I'm just listening and learning and watching, how's
this going to go? And they and they worked it
all and we ended up with Joe Flacco and it
was it was amazing.
Speaker 6 (12:40):
I'll never forget it, that conversation.
Speaker 4 (12:43):
Oh yeah, and exactly where you said we were, because
I had been. I had taken over in two thousand
and four. And then Kyle Bowler didn't work out like
we hoped he would, and then Steve McNair comes in
and then his body breaks down, and then two of
six turns into a terrible two oh seven, which leaves
us with the eighth pick in the draft. Hire him,
(13:05):
And I'm there's they're saying that there's one first round
quarterback in that draft that year, and it was Matt Ryan,
and I said, I don't care what you have to
give him, like the whole Mike Dicka Ricky Williams.
Speaker 3 (13:17):
Thing, like, I don't care.
Speaker 4 (13:19):
I'm not I'm not so dug into the value of
draft picks right now because without Matt Ryan.
Speaker 3 (13:25):
We're not going to be any good and you have
to have the quarterback. Got to have the quarterback.
Speaker 4 (13:30):
So to me, it was like, stop talking to me
about draft assets when there is no I want a
team asset, and that is the You're everybody in the
world is saying that there's one first round quarterback and
It turned really out to be true because we're the
ones that went back in and got Joe.
Speaker 3 (13:48):
Cam said, this.
Speaker 4 (13:49):
Guy's got as much upside as Ryan. You shouldn't give
up the world. We can do just as well with Joe.
And I was like, all right, you better I don't
know you very well, you better not be wrong.
Speaker 5 (14:04):
Appreciated.
Speaker 3 (14:06):
And so that's what we did.
Speaker 4 (14:07):
And so we traded out instead of down and got
Joe and we had a hell over run with Joe
and we were able to parlay this into seven more years.
Speaker 3 (14:17):
So we have had a nice run.
Speaker 5 (14:19):
And then we had Lamar in the same sort of
a situation. I mean, Lamar was not the top rated guy,
right that was that was a different kind of year
because there was a bunch of quarterbacks that year and
we had the conversation about Lamar and the draft meetings
all the way through on the phone. How many times
did we talk, but we didn't want anybody to know,
and we did. We were in the draft meetings, and
the conversation kind of came back around, you know, and
(14:41):
it ended up being can we build an offense around
Lamar Jackson?
Speaker 3 (14:44):
Can we do it?
Speaker 5 (14:45):
And we decided that we could and then we'd give
it a shot. But that wasn't the end of it,
because we still had to get them. And I remember
the draft day on that one, I had stepped out
because we had made the pick of Hayden and still
Lamar was kind of in the back of everybody's mind.
And I'd gone out to eat like a like an
ice cream cone or something, you know, I'm trying to relax.
I come back in an in there buzzn't Steve's buzzing Eric,
(15:05):
and how's your buzzin' And he looks at me and
I'm like like this. He goes that was a conversation.
Speaker 3 (15:11):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, And we went back and got Lamar.
Speaker 5 (15:14):
Of like, we went back and got Joe.
Speaker 4 (15:16):
And and made just what you said, building a team.
Can we build an offense around Lamar?
Speaker 3 (15:24):
Well?
Speaker 4 (15:24):
Can we build a team around this coach? Can we
build a company around the employees I absorbed from Art Modell.
Speaker 3 (15:33):
That's the question.
Speaker 4 (15:34):
It's like, well, you can, if you do it right,
if you're if you're dedicated to it, if you're really
good at it, yes you can.
Speaker 3 (15:40):
And that's you go back from May to you to.
Speaker 4 (15:44):
Lamar, and people are saying, what are they saying now
that they couldn't build an offense around Lamar.
Speaker 3 (15:50):
How silly does that sound?
Speaker 4 (15:52):
Now? Because we were looking at it like, oh, there's
a big you know thing. It's like, no, it really isn't.
Speaker 3 (15:58):
It is not as hard as we're thinking.
Speaker 6 (16:02):
So it's interesting.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
So you going back to that point when when you
drafted Lamar, you felt like, because it's easy to say.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
Now that oh no brain er.
Speaker 1 (16:10):
Of course you could build it around him, and everyone
have envisioned this success. But like he was the thirty
second pick.
Speaker 3 (16:16):
Wanted him to work out as a receiver, right, and
so it's not.
Speaker 1 (16:20):
For running back exactly. And so to make that decision
at the time, it was it was considered a risk.
What made you feel like this is the right route
we want to go? And how has he just changed
his team?
Speaker 4 (16:33):
I don't even look at it at as a risk, really,
I don't. I don't like that word, because if it failed,
we failed. It wasn't that Lamar failed. So at the
minute we're making an out of the box again, how
out of the box was it? I just thought, well,
(16:54):
it's going to succeed because we're going to mitigate the risk.
That's the whole point of taking on risks is having
confidence in your partners that you can mitigate it and
bring it down to almost no risk at all.
Speaker 5 (17:07):
Really, what was the risk? I remember looking back and
having this conversation, It's like, Okay, everybody was chasing the
prototype kind of quarterback, which was Joe who was very successful,
but also the Mannings, the Brady's and those guys. Everybody
wanted that type of a quarterback. How many of those
guys were that that won Super Bowl? They're so hard
to find and they were so overvalued that it became
kind of impossible. Those were actually the unicorns. Now you've
(17:30):
got a guy that looks a little different in the
style of play, yet he's super talented. So you could
look at the way he play and you say, this
is a very talented quarterback, a very talented football player.
He's a value because of that. It just is kind
of different than what other people are looking for. They see,
so is our opportunity to get him where we were
drafted and kind of went up. So it really wasn't
(17:50):
a big risk that way. It was just a different
kind of a choice.
Speaker 1 (17:54):
You made this point today, and you've been a supporter
obviously of Lamar since the day came in and you
made the point that it's a matter of when, not if,
he wins that Super Bowl, and of course you're all
working towards that just how badly, I guess do you
want it for Lamar? Of course for each other, but
for him, and he's been chasing that. You know, he
(18:14):
said that on the day, the moment he was drafted.
Speaker 5 (18:16):
He didn't put it in the words came and expressed it.
It's like so deep, it's so deep inside, such a desire,
just such a determination to get it done for Really,
you're right, for Lamar, for all the guys, I mean,
every single person in that locker room, every single person
in that building, Steve, all of us, we want that
kind of success because I mean, yeah, I think we're
(18:37):
doing process. We're doing so many things right. But you
know what, we haven't been able to be good enough
when we needed to be good enough to take the
next step to get that much closer. And even if
we'd won the championship game two years ago against the Chiefs,
we still would have had to win the Super Bowl.
If we'd have beaten the Bills last year, we still
would have had to beat the Chiefs and win the
Super Bowl. So there are other steps We've got to
get good enough and everything we do so in those
(18:59):
moments has come the next time around that we can
come through, you know. But we all want it for
each other, and so we want it for Lamar, absolutely
want it for each other.
Speaker 4 (19:08):
I don't look at Lamar singularly. It's such a I
wonder for Ronnie Stanley, I want for Marlon Humphrey. You know,
It's like it just doesn't stop with Lamar. Lamar doesn't
even stand out to me as who I'm brooting for
right like we've been doing this forever. I want it
for Eric to constant as he technically won a Super
(19:29):
Bowl as a GM No. So it's like, okay, I
want that. Ozzie got a couple of them. I want
Eric to get it.
Speaker 5 (19:36):
So it's like, yeah, yeah, we want for the fans too.
Speaker 3 (19:39):
Man.
Speaker 5 (19:39):
I almost see the fans dance in the streets like
they weren't in twenty thirteen, like they were in two thousand.
Speaker 4 (19:44):
I don't like waiting twelve years, and yet I'm respectful
of the fact that I've got partners downstairs that still
don't have one impatience is good for you. I think
it's healthy to a degree because you know, all of
us still feel it, you know. And if I had
burned through four coaches, then it would be completely different,
(20:05):
because it's like, okay, now let's see what you can do,
and now let's see I.
Speaker 3 (20:08):
Know what we can do.
Speaker 4 (20:09):
I know that we work to put ourselves in position
to win and we all get credit for that. And
that's all you can do. And I hate it that
every year you just have to start back over again.
But you know what, this is not for the meek,
(20:31):
you know.
Speaker 5 (20:33):
And when we win it, we're gonna start all over
again and again.
Speaker 3 (20:35):
Yeah, it'll let that euphoriable.
Speaker 5 (20:43):
But I want to.
Speaker 3 (20:44):
I want to. I want to have that problem. It's
like like everything else, Like every game, it'll be a relief.
Speaker 4 (20:51):
It's not like how well you're just you just then think,
oh good, now it's been no year since our last right,
and then it'll be one, and then it'll be two,
and then it'll be three and we'll be going, damn it.
Speaker 3 (21:04):
I wanted to repeat, no, I want you know, well, maybe.
Speaker 4 (21:07):
We were repeating we've got a window. We've got a window.
Speaker 1 (21:10):
With Lamar Steve, I know you are super into the draft.
I know you've joked in the past about you know,
hasslan Eric during this time of the year.
Speaker 5 (21:17):
Enjoying me a couple of days since his last draft calls.
Speaker 1 (21:21):
On this.
Speaker 5 (21:22):
How long were we on the phone. It was a
couple of hours.
Speaker 3 (21:24):
I'm pulling up a receiver that you were like, oh,
I love him.
Speaker 4 (21:29):
He's he's like a sixth round undrafted and we both
are like, okay, yeah.
Speaker 3 (21:35):
Yeah, I love it. I just love it.
Speaker 4 (21:37):
I always said that in free I tell my friends
free agency, we have a budget, and we quickly burned
through it, like this year, Like we came back to
Jupiter and it was we don't need a wholesale change.
We need to figure out how many of our guys
we had more free agents than we had money available
to spend, and that happens every year. But we weren't
(22:00):
really looking outside the organization. And then we're psyched to
get Ricard and it's like to get Ronnie, and it's
like to get Thailand. It's it's like, but we had
a lot of let a lot of them go, and
that's never a good thing. But you know, going in
you're gonna have more free agents that you want than
you have money to spend on it, right.
Speaker 5 (22:18):
So I tell a good thing.
Speaker 4 (22:20):
I tell people that's that's my money, that's our money.
But the draft is already in Eric's budget. So I
say the draft is like going Christmas shopping with somebody
else's credit card.
Speaker 3 (22:36):
That's how exciting it is.
Speaker 4 (22:37):
Because they're all free, they've already been accounted for it,
they're already paid for it. So I just love it,
and I love watching these guys. I can't believe some
succeed and I can't believe some fail. You know, It's
like when I go through the people that we've loved.
I've loved more than you, You've loved more than me,
and some of them are great. In some of them
(22:57):
you think, how did that person? How did that guy fail?
You know, But there's so much that goes into it
that we don't really know their backstories to a degree.
Speaker 3 (23:05):
But yeah, it's fun.
Speaker 4 (23:06):
It's my hobby on top of my main hobby. That's
my real that's my off season hobby.
Speaker 3 (23:12):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (23:12):
And I'm sure I know you love the draft too,
or you fired up about just just the process and
the prospects.
Speaker 5 (23:17):
You can't talk about it enough. I mean just watching
the tape, the grind to that part of a one
hundred and seventy one players we were talking about, you know,
and Steve seen guys and it's just it is. It's fun.
It's like who fits our team? You know, who do
you really want? Well, ask the coaches all the time,
and Eric asked the questions. It's just tell me who
you want, tell me who you want. You see a
spot form in this team, and who you excited about.
(23:39):
That's kind of that's the fun part.
Speaker 1 (23:41):
Of taking it beyond the field. The organization is in
a great shape. The stadium lease is in place, there's
exciting renovations happening at the stadium, there's renovations happening at
the undearned Performance Center. How pleased are you when you
look at the state of the organization as a whole,
beyond just the football team, but where this team sits
organization wide goes.
Speaker 4 (23:59):
Back to the continuity you're talking about. I had one
president for twenty years and sas she's stuck with me
for twenty more. And it's just money, it's just debt.
It's just we want the best for our fans. I
want the best for my players. So yeah, physical facilities,
(24:21):
that's just a no brainer. I wouldn't ever get I
wouldn't get caught behind. I'd rather be one step ahead
of that stuff. And God bless the State of Maryland.
You know, they came up with the money, they didn't
get it to the point Art Modell was in Cleveland
and Ursay was here in Baltimore. It was like the
state realized that they've got a gym there at Camden
(24:44):
Yards and they needed to be proactive, and they showed us,
without fighting, how the state can work with teams. And
I know David is appreciative of it too across the
stre So we've got a great thing going here, both
baseball and football.
Speaker 5 (25:04):
I got a question about that. You talk about a
gem at Camdon Yards, and some of these other stadiums
that they're already built come of the same era that
they're tearing down and replacing. You You've got this gem
at M and T Bank Stadium that you've you're you're
you know, making better and renovating. But it is kind
of becoming an iconic stadium.
Speaker 3 (25:21):
Right Yeah, I think so.
Speaker 4 (25:23):
And part of that is is M and T standing
stepping up and giving us extension upon extension, and they're
they're great, they're they're just a great partner. So yeah,
I think that when you say iconic, it's like win games,
and certainly the name on the stadium better stay the same.
Speaker 1 (25:40):
Yeah, And it has become, to your point, a place
that when we talk to these free agents who come in,
they say, man, we played here in twenty twenty one
and it was so tough. You know, the night game
there was so tough, and I remember that game on
Sunday Night Football. I think it's developed a reputation around
the NFL.
Speaker 5 (25:55):
Yeah, I didn't think driving up to it, like you see,
it's got the brick and the steel and it's night
lights and the way it's set up, it just it's
going to last forever. It's not going to be one
of those you know, look like a spaceship landing there.
Speaker 7 (26:06):
Now.
Speaker 4 (26:07):
Listen, we started construction after Camden Yards, so it was
only fitting that we kind of tried to do something
that was similar, that was old school and so old
school lasts.
Speaker 3 (26:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (26:20):
So lastly, you're this is the thirtieth season of Ravens
football in Baltimore for both of you. Obviously has been
a great run up to this point for these first
these first thirty years. What do you envision for the
next thirty years of Baltimore Ravens football.
Speaker 3 (26:36):
I don't know. I don't know. I want to. I
just I want to win now. I don't. I don't,
I don't. I don't give a damn about thirty years
from now. I really don't. I want to win now.
I want to win with these guys. I want to
I want to win now.
Speaker 5 (26:50):
Yeah, thirty days from now, I'm talking about draft coming up.
Speaker 3 (26:54):
Coming up.
Speaker 6 (26:55):
You guys are fired up by this year. I can
tell it.
Speaker 1 (26:57):
Just it seems like there's just the energy and enthusiasm
and you're ready to play.
Speaker 5 (27:01):
Yeah, we're gonna be great. We're gonna be a great team.
We're gonna do it every day. We got to be
good at the things that really matter. You know, we're determined.
Speaker 6 (27:07):
It's awesome. Well, thank you so much for the time.
I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (27:10):
Thank you.
Speaker 5 (27:10):
Thanks ging.
Speaker 2 (27:12):
So Cliff.
Speaker 1 (27:13):
Obviously just insightful Stelf. I thought from from Steve and
from John and talking about I really think the relationship
that they have and the connection that they have.
Speaker 7 (27:23):
Yeah, a great job by you in an interview, I thought,
yeah too, And also, yes, the chemistry that they have
extremely important. You know, ladyship opposite between owner, owner, head
coach uh kind of sets the tone in a lot
of ways along with the general manager in the direction
that the Braves go, and they are so much on
the same page. I think that interview gave it insight
(27:45):
of how they interact, that they are not afraid to
express their opinions, but they're always on the same page.
And that you know, Steven Shaddy, you know, I believe
views himself as someone to help John along the way
for particularly during the season where it's so emotional wins
and losses every week, the ups and downs. What a
(28:07):
great sounding board for John to have someone like Steve
who knows the team so well, knows him so well,
can kind of help him keep the steady pace and
get back focused on the next week if you're coming
off a disappointing loss. And yeah, I mean, you don't
want a person that you always agree with, but you
want a person that you can always work with. And
(28:28):
the fact that they've been able to work together so
successfully so long has been a really key part of
the raid and success.
Speaker 1 (28:35):
Yeah, Steve made the point in the conversation that he
views himself as being able to see the forest through
the trees. John is in it, and the day to
day he's dealing, he's in the trenches. He's dealing with coaches,
he's dealing with players, he's dealing with game planning. He
is living the highs and lows of an NFL season,
where Steve can look at it from that aerial view
and say, you know, what about going this route or
(28:56):
what about trying this and how just that type of perspective,
and obviously, you know, he's he's the owner and he
can call the shots, but he also defers to John
and allows him to make decisions as well. And of
course Eric, so I thought that that was, you know,
interesting perspective in terms of how he sees that dynamic
and that relationship. And I do think in that conversation
(29:17):
you've got to see how they play off of each other.
You know, they joked and had some good moments in there.
And then the other part to me that that really
I think stood out is just the stability. And it's
stability at like every level. It's stability ownership, itstability to
head coach stability and from a personnel standpoint and the
stability a quarterback. And like when during John's tenure, it
(29:39):
was it went straight from Joe to Lamar. And it's
rare to have a coach that's been here in one
spot for seventeen years. It almost never happens, right. It's
also rare to have a coach who's had just essentially
two quarterbacks in his tenure. That's also incredibly rare. And
so I thought the perspective on that was enlightening, no question.
Speaker 7 (29:59):
I mean, that's a blessing the Ravens have had to
have two quarterbacks like that, and particularly back to back. Yeah,
that's been a blessing. But give the Ravens foresight that
they were able to make those moves. I mean, no question,
when the Ravens drafted Joe Flack or not, everyone was saying, Oh,
this is going to be a great move. He's going
to be a Super Bowl winning quarterback. Lamar had to
(30:20):
watch thirty one other people drafted in front of him
before he was taken. There were so many questions about
Lamar when he came to the league, what he can do,
what he can do, and how good he's going to be.
The Ravens had the foresight to make that move to
go get him, and obviously they're reaping the benefits.
Speaker 1 (30:35):
And the thing about that that's crazy is that, you know,
I asked, basically, everyone else is saying this is this
is a risk, and this is a big question and
all this stuff, and it looks like it was a
no brainer now, But that wasn't the conversation. You go
back to twenty eighteen and Steve's point that like, well,
it's only a risk if you don't kind of believe
in the system, the ability to build around him and
(30:57):
the ability to set him up for success, and so
he didn't.
Speaker 2 (31:00):
They didn't see it as this big risk.
Speaker 1 (31:01):
And I thought that was just interesting way of looking
at it.
Speaker 7 (31:05):
It is, when you make the commitment to draft Lamar,
then you also have to have the foresight or should
have the foresight to maximize what he does best and
build the entire system, as John often says, around him.
That's what the Ravens have done, and I believe in
Todd Monkin it's even going to another level allowing Lamar
the freedom, as he says, to give him the keys
(31:25):
to the offense to drive the car. When you have
a talent like Lamar Jackson. He is one of one,
not only with his talent, but his versatility the things
that he can do. The Ravens, I think, are still
building on taking advantage of all the things Lamar can do.
But you can see that this whole system has been
set up for him to succeed. And also one point
(31:47):
with John two. I give Steve a lot of ANDASI
and everyone who was involved with decision to hire John
Harlball as a guy who had been a long time
special teams coach.
Speaker 6 (31:57):
That was an.
Speaker 7 (31:57):
Outside the box move. It's still an outside the box
move all these years later. There aren't many teams that
will give a special teams coach who has never been
a coordinator the head coaching job. They just, to me
don't have the courage even if the person does will
in an interview to make that move. The Ravens did,
and look how well it's paid off.
Speaker 4 (32:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (32:17):
And the last point that that I'll mention that really
stands out to me is how driven both of them are.
You can tell that it ticks them off the way
last season ended and being so close to these last
few years and and they're doing everything possible. Uh, from
a coaching standpoint right now, John and the staff and
they're building the system and they're talking about ways to
evolve and improve and and Steve is pushing as well,
(32:41):
like there's there's not a there's there's an impatience around
not winning a Super Bowl and then that and that's
something that is driving them and you can tell in
that conversation. So they're they're doing everything possible to make
that happen now. In addition to sitting down with both
of them, also had a chance to talk with Ravens
President Sashi Brown about some of the big business objectives
(33:01):
that the team has right now and the focus on
that side of things as well.
Speaker 2 (33:05):
So let's go ahead and roll that conversation.
Speaker 1 (33:07):
Here a Ravens fans, I'm excited now to be joined
by Ravens President Sashi Brown.
Speaker 6 (33:12):
So she we're here at the league meetings.
Speaker 1 (33:14):
And as you look at the organization right now, what
do you see as the key areas of focus.
Speaker 2 (33:20):
For the team?
Speaker 8 (33:21):
I think it's first at a really exciting time. You know,
we've got two times some would say three times MVP,
a quarterback leading us one of the most exciting athletes
in the world. Much less quarterback in our.
Speaker 9 (33:34):
Sport in Lamar, Derek and all the players.
Speaker 8 (33:37):
So we always keep the main thing, the main thing,
which is let's win as many football games as we
can and field a championship level squad. And Eric and
John have done a masterful job at leading us and
situating the franchise to do just that.
Speaker 9 (33:52):
So that's the first thing. So it's a great time
to just be a fan of the team.
Speaker 8 (33:57):
And then, you know, I think it's a really exciting
time in the history of the French We've extended our
lease which has allowed us in partnership with Maryland to
make a major investment and reimagine really M and T
Bank Stadium and the fan experience, which was already.
Speaker 9 (34:11):
You know, we're usually one two three in.
Speaker 8 (34:13):
The league given the year in terms of our stadium
experience of fan experience, but now we're able to reinvest
in that alongside Maryland and bring a lot more to
the game day experience and all that tailgating experience, bring
it right to the stadium footprint with a ton of
new spaces and exciting opportunities. So it's a great time
to be the Ravens fans and we're really excited to
(34:35):
roll out this second phase of renovations for the flock.
Speaker 1 (34:38):
Well, you mentioned those renovations are ongoing both at the
under Armed Performance Center and at MT Bank Stadium.
Speaker 6 (34:44):
At the stadium, what has you excited.
Speaker 1 (34:45):
About these renovations in terms of bringing the stadium to
the next phase of its iteration.
Speaker 8 (34:50):
Well, first of all, I think it's just a volume
of new opportunities and spaces that in fan experiences that
you'll see. So everybody when they come to the stadium,
they're going to see technology immediately.
Speaker 9 (35:05):
That's a huge part of what we wanted to do.
Speaker 8 (35:08):
We understand that nobody wants to miss a second of
the game, so we are heavily investing to make sure
that we update our technology around the stadium. The second
thing is there's a ton of new spaces. Last year
you saw the Miller Like gatehouse. It was one of
our most popular additions, so people were able to take
in the roof deck and obviously the beer hall as well.
Speaker 9 (35:29):
But this year we're going to start to see the
plaza come to life.
Speaker 8 (35:32):
One of our challenges is when we built the stadium originally,
is we built out very small retail space, so Ravens
fans will have a place to come in Baltimore three
hundred and sixty five days a year, not even just
limited to game days, to come get merchandise in apparel
and a huge news store. With our partnership with Fanatics,
is going to be a really exciting opportunity to get
(35:52):
more in different type of Ravens apparel, your jerseys and
all the things, of course, but just a lot more products.
Speaker 9 (35:57):
So there's a ton of new spaces for people to take.
Speaker 8 (36:00):
Advantage of, and the plazas are going to be awesome
to bring that tailgate experience that's so unique to Baltimore
right onto our state and footprint.
Speaker 1 (36:07):
So something that fans don't get to see, but you
and I were living through it is a construction at
the Unheur owned Performance Center. There's a lot going on.
What can you share about the work that's happening at UAPC.
Speaker 8 (36:19):
Well not too much right now, but we knew if
you can believe it, the Castle, which is still I
think one of the best training facilities in sports and
part of our legacy, really needed an investment on the
football side. There's been so much progress and evolution. We
went to the front of the class in ahead when.
Speaker 9 (36:38):
We first built the castle.
Speaker 8 (36:40):
But I think now at under armed training facility, you've
seen colleges at the D one level and other facilities
built around the NFL that have just progressed and pushed
forward what a modern training facility looks like. We hadn't
made major changes to our football side of the building.
We added a wing some years ago on the business
(37:02):
side to accommodate an increase in headcount and expanding staff,
but we really wanted to invest in our players and
their experience, and so we've got some new, high powered,
really well thought out and big designs that we've shared
with our players and I wait until we unveil them
(37:22):
here with Chad and the rest of the PR team.
Speaker 1 (37:25):
So it's actually one of the things that was announced
earlier today here at the league meetings is the global
markets program and the Ravens have now entered the UK
market and been granted UK marketing rights. So what's the
significance of this.
Speaker 8 (37:39):
Yeah, grateful for the NFL granting us those rights. The
UK has been a place we've played two games already
and the growth of the NFL game internationally is booming.
So you know about flag football coming to the Olympics
in twenty twenty eight, So it's a global game. We've
seen a lot of that growth here locally in Maryland,
(38:00):
we're right on the verge of getting Girls' Flag Young
Women's Flag to be sanctioned at the state level, with
scores of teams across different counties playing now inter school
and so you know, we look at the growth of
the game internationally, we look at UK as one of
(38:21):
the places that's really going to be a bedrock for us.
I mean, the game is well established there, there are
two or three games, they are played every year. We
thought it was a natural fit for us, and there's
a lot of commonality and love for our brand over there.
So we're happy to get the win last time. We
went over a year before last against Tennessee, pulled Derek
(38:42):
over to our.
Speaker 9 (38:42):
Side, and we'll be ready to go back and get
after it.
Speaker 8 (38:45):
But we've seen a huge amount of appetite the game
growing in South America, Mexico, Central America, but also in Europe,
and so UK I thought was a great fit for us.
Easy to bring fans over. We've had a couple come
over already, and easy for us get back over to play.
Speaker 5 (39:00):
Some more games.
Speaker 1 (39:01):
Something that I get asked about as much as almost
anything football related is often uniforms.
Speaker 6 (39:07):
So I'm sure you get these questions all the time.
Speaker 4 (39:09):
You know.
Speaker 1 (39:09):
Of course people love to talk about the games and
what happens in those, but people love to talk about uniforms.
Last year we unveiled the new helmets, the Purple Rising helmets,
which were these fans were certainly excited about. Is there
anything on the horizon on the uniform front.
Speaker 8 (39:22):
You know, nothing at this point to be announced. I
know people have asked me that I was asked yesterday
by the media, But it's always exciting to think about.
Speaker 9 (39:31):
Reality is we have just a super closet.
Speaker 8 (39:33):
I mean, I think our all black uniforms are probably
the best uniforms in the league, not to knock the
purple white and the new Purple. So we like all
of our variations and really excited to roll out some
of the work that was done by Brad Downs and
our marketing team and Kenko who runs our equipment staff.
(39:55):
They've been working on a few things to come up
with that color combination with the all purple, which was
rolled out beautifully in the win against Cincinnati, and.
Speaker 1 (40:04):
Lastly, Slash you just you just wrapped up your third
season as team president. What are the biggest takeaways that
you've had in these first three seasons and what has
you excited about the future.
Speaker 9 (40:14):
Yeah, I have my open and press conference.
Speaker 8 (40:16):
I talked about humbling seeing, you know, one of my
mentors and Dick casts sitting with me as he you know,
moved on into quasi retirement. We keep Dick busy still
on occasion. Loved to see him coming to practice and
hanging around the facility and helping us out on strategic initiatives.
But humbling was the word that I described it then,
And still humbling, you know. I go into every day
(40:38):
with the mentality of trying to make us better and
make sure that I'm leading alongside John and Steve and
Eric and Ozzie and the rest of the crew. We've
got a fantastic team of fantastic people. We're in very
much service to our fan base and to our community.
And so, you know, I love the job, love the franchise,
love the city.
Speaker 9 (40:56):
Love the people. I couldn't ask for more.
Speaker 8 (40:58):
Really excited every day and every day is different. We
have a lot of important, exciting projects that have taken
place over these three years and made a lot of
progress on each of those.
Speaker 9 (41:09):
So the future is bright, very thankful.
Speaker 8 (41:11):
We've I think we've got the best ownership group in
the league with Stephen Renee and so you know, we
got John extended. You know, things are really really great
right now and I'm happy to play.
Speaker 9 (41:22):
My small part of that.
Speaker 6 (41:23):
It's good time to be a Ravens fan. That's it awesome, Sahi,
thank you so much.
Speaker 9 (41:27):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (41:28):
That was Ravens President Sashi Brown.
Speaker 1 (41:30):
You're listening to the Lounge podcast and we are coming
to you from the Sea Geek studio. We also want
to mention our partners at Draft King Sportsbook. They are
an official sports betting partner of the Baltimore Ravens Draft
King Sportsbook.
Speaker 2 (41:39):
The Crown is yours.
Speaker 1 (41:40):
So in the conversation which Sash, she covered some of
the big things that are happening with this team right now.
Renovations at MPTY Bay Stadium, renovations at the under Own
Performance Center, and I think it's just going to continue
to make the stadium specifically, like the Ravens are investing
in that game day experience. We talked with Judy Batista
yesterday on the podcast about just how great a game
(42:03):
day atmosphere that is. The Ravens want that to continue,
and so these renovations are going to help.
Speaker 7 (42:08):
Out that now absolutely. And you know, just like there's
competition on the field, there's competition.
Speaker 9 (42:14):
Off the field.
Speaker 7 (42:15):
I mean, so many teams are building new stadiums and
making renovations, and every team wants their fans to come
out obviously and support the team, you know, and the
Ravens I think are continuing to stay a step ahead
of the competition as far as making changes that make
it even more attractive and more fun to come to
(42:35):
M and T. It's a stadium that you know, over
the years, I mean when you look at M and
T Banks Stadium, it does it looks like, you know,
one of the brand new stadium. It doesn't look like
a stadium that has been along around as laws it has.
There's always new things every year now in the land
next two to three years, you're going to see new
things not only inside the stadium but around the stadium
(42:56):
to make the atmosphere more like a party atmosphere. And
when you can buy the passion of the Ravens fans
with a good team with that venue, it just makes
it the place to be. I mean, I love it,
especially night games and M and T. There's really no
other experience like we go other places, but the buzz,
even before its opening kickoff, is just one of my
(43:16):
favorite parts of going to M and T Bank Stadium.
And that's something the Ravens and everyone who works for them,
they're actively making that happen. It doesn't just come together
by accident. That a lot of people working hard behind
the scenes and make it happen, and a Sashi said
he appreciates those efforts and that's going to continue.
Speaker 1 (43:32):
What's your favorite, asked him about uniforms. What is your
number one on your list? What's your what's your favorite uni?
Speaker 7 (43:39):
Well, it used to be in the white purple combination,
but I think the all the All Black I think
that might be my favorite.
Speaker 2 (43:47):
She mentioned that too. Yeah, that's that one that seems
like that's the fan favorite.
Speaker 4 (43:51):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (43:51):
I mean to me, it's just you see Derek Henry
and All Black. I think he's gonna take it to
the house, like every play.
Speaker 1 (43:57):
Well, what did they were in the All Black set
against in Buffalo when he did that? What first play
of the games? Secont play of the game, so it
worked out pretty well there, absolutely so I also liked
I like the purple with alternate helmet helmet Purple Rising uniforms.
I'm a big fan of those two. So yeah, it's
it's exciting to talk to uniforms and all these other
things that are happening. So as always, we love hearing
(44:17):
from you, the fans, the listeners, the viewers. You can
email us at the lounge at Ravens dot NFL dot
net let us know your thoughts, your questions that you
have coming out of these meetings. Has been a productive
few days, like I mentioned here in Florida, and the
meetings have wrapped up and then we're gonna be heading home.
But a good few days here, and thank you so
much for watching and for listening.
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