Marlon Humphrey loves great conversation, and fans are about to hear his voice in a unique way.
"Studio 44," a new show hosted by Humphrey, debuts Wednesday on the Baltimore Ravens’ official YouTube channel, website and app with General Manager Eric DeCosta as the first guest.
Humphrey's passion for football has always been obvious, but the All-Pro cornerback has many interests and is serious about a career in media once his playing days are over.
"Studio 44" will be Humphrey's vehicle to take fans behind the scenes as he interviews teammates and coaches, as well as non-sports figures. He's bringing the same enthusiasm to this project that he brings to the field on game days.
"Football is my dream job, but my dream job after this is media," Humphrey said. "This is something I can do now while I'm playing. I've done a podcast with Ronnie (Stanley), but this is something different. I'm really excited about it."
Humphrey's desire to begin a new media project was stoked after recently attending the NFL "Broadcast Boot Camp" in Los Angeles and speaking to former players who had transitioned into media.
"We saw what they do on a daily basis," Humphrey said. "It was really cool, learning more about how they make the product seem so good. I left there really motivated.
"When you're watching a game, you can look at the media and think there's not much to the job. But Cris Collinsworth, Tony Romo, guys who call games, they might watch more film than me."
When Humphrey returned from Los Angeles, he began discussing concepts for a show with Ravens Social Media Director/Digital Host Garrett Downing.
"We met a few times to brainstorm and sort through what he wanted, what we thought would be good content," Downing said. "Then I pulled in the video production group to iron out logistics and get the wheels in motion.
"We wanted to do something that showed his personality, but also his interviewing chops. I gave him some examples of this type of content that I thought could be a good fit, and here we are. It all came together quickly, in the span of a couple weeks. Marlon has a big personality that makes him a perfect fit for this type of content. This series will showcase that personality and provide a unique perspective on the Ravens. We think this is something our fans are going to love."
Humphrey was thrilled to land DeCosta as his first guest, with the draft starting Thursday.
"He's pretty busy right now," Humphrey said smiling. "It was interesting. I learned stuff about the draft I didn't know."
Humphrey expects the show to be entertaining and funny, but some of the topics will take on a more serious tone. He believes listeners will hear things they didn't expect.
"It's not going to be just about football," Humphrey said. "Learning stories about how guys met their wives. Showing the other sides of people's personalities. Talking to people who have shined a positive light on Baltimore, who have made this city proud. The show is about the guests. I want people to listen and go, 'Wow, I got an inside scoop on this person's life.'"
