John Harbaugh’s Ravens exit is still being celebrated by some.
Baltimore veteran receiver Rashod Bateman and offensive lineman Ronnie Stanley took shots at Harbaugh while praising new coach Jesse Minter’s style.
“From head coach to [offensive coordinator] to receivers coach, everybody really harps on the details and the small things,” Bateman said Thursday. “That’s just not what we were in our past.”
Stanley added, per The Athletic: “[Minter] just values the finer details.”
On the scale of burns, these are not incendiary shots that start wars.
But for coaches, it’s certainly a blow to be considered as lacking when it comes to being detail-oriented — and hearing it come from a multiple-time All-Pro left tackle carries weight.
Not stressing details can be viewed as a lack of preparation, which is quite the dig against a coach.
Bateman certainly had the more pointed comments of the two, and it certainly makes it seem that he welcomed the coaching change.
He previously expressed some frustration with Baltimore’s coaching staff in 2023, with the former first-rounder venting about playing to player’s strengths and calling out finger pointing.
Bateman said Thursday he could “definitely benefit” from the coaching change.
“Wherever these coaches and staff put me,” he said, “I think this team is bound for success.”
There had been some rumblings about a split being needed in Baltimore with Harbaugh after 18 seasons, which included one Super Bowl win in 12 playoff appearances.
NFL Network reported after the Ravens fired Harbaugh following a Week 17 loss to the Steelers that cost them a playoff spot that “simply Harbaugh lost the locker room.”
There had also been rumblings of a rift with star quarterback Lamar Jackson.
Minter, the former Chargers defensive coordinator, replaced Harbaugh, and one big storyline of the season will be whether he can guide Jackson to an elusive Super Bowl appearance.
Harbaugh, meanwhile, has been welcomed like a king to New York, although expectations are far lower and Super Bowl contention is not realistic for at least one more year.
