Happy with the work his team has put in throughout training camp, and the past couple days in particular, Head Coach John Harbaugh called an audible Wednesday.
Harbaugh moved up the team's assignments, alignment, communication and technique (AACT) practice and is taking the players to the movies.
He surprised the team with the news after practice, and said they had 18 minutes to shower, grab a bite and get on the bus. Players and coaches came sprinting off the field.
The team is seeing the movie "Lucy," an action movie starting Scarlett Johansson.
It's a team-building outing that has been well-earned. And the team still got work in before Saturday's third preseason game against the Washington Redskins.
"Very happy with where the guys are at. We had two really good practices the last two days. It's been a camp where these guys have really pushed it," Harbaugh said, adding that the team worked on third downs on Wednesday.
"We got a lot done, and happy with where we're at, and we'll try to get them off their legs a little bit today."
After Tuesday's practice, Harbaugh met with his leadership council consisting of quarterback Joe Flacco, linebacker Terrell Suggs, defensive tackle Haloti Ngata, linebacker Daryl Smith, guard Marshal Yanda, wide receiver Torrey Smith, wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. and punter Sam Koch.
The leadership council voted unanimously for the movie "Lucy." Suggs, who is a huge movie buff, may have done some convincing.
The busses pulled into a nearby movie theater and players and coaches piled out into the theater. A group of children were letting out of another movie when the team arrived. Harbaugh was the first one off the bus, sending the kids into a frenzy.
Harbaugh came over to talk to the kids and pose for a picture. He asked them what they saw.
"Ninja Turtles!" they yelled.
Harbaugh told them that was Suggs' favorite too. Other players waved as they went into the theater.
These training camp outings are nothing new in Baltimore. The Ravens took a surprise trip to the historic Civil War town of Gettysburg, Pa., last summer. Harbaugh has always made efforts to educate his players outside of the football field's white lines, and he's a big proponent of team bonding.
"It's awesome," wide receiver Torrey Smith said.
"Coach is giving us some rest time. We're going to enjoy this. We're working our tails off, and it's nice of him to reward us. We've got to show that he can do things like this more often with another good practice tomorrow."
