The Baltimore Ravens are officially in a new era under head coach Jesse Minter. For 18 years, the franchise was led by now-New York Giants head coach John Harbaugh. Throughout the era, there were many ups and downs. After nearly 20 years, Harbaugh’s methods in certain areas began to wear thin for certain people, and that was the case for Ravens star wide receiver Zay Flowers.
Harbaugh drafted Flowers in the first round out of Boston College in 2023, and since that time, he’s been the Ravens number one receiver. Still, Flowers was not thrilled with all of Harbaugh’s methods, one of his biggest issues being the intensity of practice.
Full Padded Practices
Zay Flowers went on the “4th And South” podcast hosted by former NFL players Jarvis Landry and Leonard Fournette, and discussed how John Harbaugh used to run tough practices throughout the entire season.
“Full pads all the time,” Flowers said. “However many practices in pads you can get, every single one. We’re doing one-on-ones in Week 17. Week 17, we’re doing one-on-ones, everybody out there, we’re tired, we’re still going. … That’s why we had a lot of injuries. Because of how we practiced, how we went. The load was heavy.”
According to Adam Wells of Bleacher Report, however, the Ravens ranked near the middle of the pack in terms of injuries, with the 12th fewest in the league. Quarterback Lamar Jackson missed four games due to back and hamstring injuries, and his absence is perhaps the greatest reason why the Ravens missed the playoffs.
Flowers continued that he needed assurance that the new Ravens head coach, Jesse Minter, would run practice differently, despite having coached under Harbaugh before.
“He worked with Harbaugh in 2017, so he knows how it was, how we worked with Harbaugh,” Flowers said. “So he says, ‘You’re going to get your work, but it’s going to be a little easier on your body. You’re going to be fresher for the game.‘ That was the first talk I had with him: How’s practice going to look?”
Since he’s arrived in Baltimore, Minter has made it clear he has his own unique process for running the team.
Detailed Coaching
Jesse Minter has yet to coach a practice or a game for the Ravens, yet he is already impressing players in the building. One of the most important to impress is star safety and team leader Kyle Hamilton, and so far so good for Minter.
Steve Rudden of Ravens Wire wrote about what he’s observed from Minter as a head coach so far.
“[Jesse Minter] is very detailed and very meticulous. He cares a lot about the process and the learning process, especially,” Hamilton said. “Obviously, right now, we’re not out there playing football, and we’re just in the meeting room, and that can get a little mundane from time to time, but he keeps guys engaged just by painting the picture of what you’re going to do when you’re here, how many guys can play different positions and all this other stuff. And he explains it in a very elementary way that kind of can become a Master’s level once we get to [training] camp and hopefully the beginning of the season.”
Minter is already impressing with his preparation, and as the rest of the offseason unfolds into the regular season, his similarities and differences with John Harbaugh’s philosophies will begin to emerge.
Zay Flowers Sheds Light on Ravens Practices Under John Harbaugh