Late for Work: NFL and Baltimore Communities Pay…
9 min read
NFL and Baltimore Communities Pay Tribute to O.J. Brigance
The Ravens lost one of the most beloved figures in the organization Monday with the passing of O.J. Brigance, who heroically battled ALS for 19 years.
Brigance, who was 56, was a linebacker and special teams standout on the Ravens’ Super Bowl-winning team in 2000. He first came to Baltimore in 1994 as a member of the CFL’s Stallions and helped them with the Grey Cup in 1995.
Brigance’s impact also went well beyond the field. After his playing career ended in 2002, he returned to the Ravens in a personnel role in player engagement. Following his ALS diagnosis, Brigance was an inspiration to many for his positivity and courageous fight against the disease, as he continued coming to work despite his physical limitations. He and his wife, Chanda, established the Brigance Brigade Foundation, a nonprofit that has raised money and awareness for the fight against ALS.
There was an outpouring of tributes to Brigance from the NFL and Baltimore communities on social media:
Dan Orlovsky Expects Ja’Kobi Lane to Be ‘Big Part’ of Ravens’ Offense
The Ja’Kobi Lane hype train shows no sign of slowing down.
ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky said Lane was one of the rookie wide receivers who stood out the most in this past weekend’s preseason games.
“I really liked his tape. I also think he’s going to be a big part of [the Ravens’] offense,” Orlovsky said on “The Pat McAfee Show.” “Ja’Kobi’s frame just immediately stood out. And then some of the strength in the catch reminded me of DeAndre Hopkins. … Just the lengthy frame, the way he plucks the ball, the way he feels space down the field, and the way the frame just kind of stood out.
“So, I think Ja’Kobi Lane, not only from some of the impressions that are on tape, but I just believe he’s going to have to be an important part of their pass game.”
Lane, who scored a touchdown in the first half of Saturday’s 24-7 preseason win over the Philadelphia Eagles, is enjoying the attention, but he’s keeping it in perspective.
“I think it is super fun to be a part of a hype train, but at the same time, this all can go down by one dropped ball,” Lane said. “I [don’t] mean to say that I am planning on it happening, but I know very well it can happen, but at [the] same time, I am still going to be the same person every day. I’ll still come to work with my guys and rely on them just like they rely on me. I think being able to have that mindset every day, I am just super blessed to be able to be in this position and rely on guys like this.”
Matt Hibner, Jovaughn Gwyn Makes PFF’s Team of the Week
Rookie tight end Matt Hibner made a strong impression in his NFL debut Saturday night. The fourth-round pick was named to Pro Football Focus’ Team of the Week and Rookie Team of the Week.
“Hibner was the 10th tight end selected in a draft that saw the position heavily targeted on Day 2,” PFF’s Daire Carragher wrote. “With Isaiah Likely gone and Mark Andrews coming off the worst season of his career, there is an opportunity for Hibner to contribute immediately. Five catches for 61 yards, including four first downs, was an excellent start.”
Center Jovaughn Gwyn also made PFF’s Team of the Week. Gwyn is competing for the starting center job along with Danny Pinter and Ethan Pocic.
Jesse Minter Reveals Biggest Curveball He Was Hit With During Camps
Five of this season’s rookie head coaches, including Jesse Minter, participated in a roundtable-style Q&A with The Athletic to discuss their experiences thus far in their new jobs.
Here are some excerpts from the discussion with Minter:
What was the biggest curveball you got hit with during OTAs and/or minicamps, and how did you adjust?
Minter: “Dealing with injuries and things like that that pop up. You try for that perfect balance of what’s best for the player, what’s best for the team, handling those types of situations while trying to keep things really private to protect the player, particularly in the offseason when you’re not needing to share all that type of information. I don’t know that that was, like, a curveball, but it was definitely something that happens more than I was probably anticipating.”
Coaches often use that break between minicamp and training camp to recharge, but also to assess their methods and approaches to those offseason practices. What was an encouraging takeaway, and what was a needs-improvement aspect that you applied at training camp and will use in the regular season?
Minter: “The encouraging takeaway was just that we had a lot of guys show up. We had a lot of guys buy into how we were operating. (There were) some slight differences to what had been done before. So I was encouraged just by the eagerness of the guys and the willingness and wanting to feel something different. And for (improvement), just the ability to get the messaging through the locker room. That’s something I’ve got to continue to work on, and then the connection piece with all the players. In the offseason, you’re almost feeling each other out. … After that, it’s rehashing that to go into training camp, and you really have real opportunities to build relationships so it’s not just coach speak. Actually making the time and putting in the time for us to really get to know each other, trust each other, feeling like that connection will certainly go a long way.”
What’s the silliest thing that has come across your desk that you had no idea fell under head coaching responsibilities?
Minter: “Some of the mail that we get from our fans. Like, I’m getting invited to different weddings and different events of people that I’ve never met that I have no idea who they are. They’re just diehard Ravens fans, so you know, it’s kind of funny. I’ll send a note just to like, congratulate them, but obviously, I’m not going to show up at some random person’s wedding. So, just those types of things. You don’t realize the limelight and what it’s going to be like until you’re definitely in the seat.”
🔎 Get better search results for Ravens content by adding BaltimoreRavens.com to your Google Source Preferences.
https://www.baltimoreravens.com/news/late-for-work-nfl-baltimore-communities-tribute-oj-brigance-matt-hibner-jovaughn-gwyn-pff
