BALTIMORE RAVENS
Head Coach John Harbaugh
(opening statement) "Alright, I appreciate you guys being here. I'm proud of the guys. If you're going to talk about the beginning of the season, [and] if you're going to talk about it's not what happens, it's how you respond, then you better be ready to live it, I guess. They lived it. Like I told them in the locker room, there's going to be a point in time in your life when your kids go through some tough times, they're going to stack up on them a little bit, and they're going to ask you why and what's going on and how to handle it. You'll be able to tell them this story, and that will be a strong testimony that you're going to be able to have, because they did it. They stuck together. No one ever pointed a finger. Everybody competed the best they could. We fell short in numerous games here down the stretch in the sense that we just couldn't find a play. We couldn't find a play that we needed. We couldn't find a way to put them in position to make the play that would make the difference in the game, and that's what I feel worse about as a coach. Any one of these games we could've found something to find a way to win the game. We would have liked to have done that, but we didn't come up with that. So, we're not happy about that, and that's my biggest disappointment. Alright, what questions do you have?"
(on what was the biggest problem in trying to stop the Steelers in the fourth quarter) "He made a couple plays against man coverage, I think, [in] critical situations that were key. Then when he made the last one, he found it against zone [coverage]. He just made some throws, and they made some catches in critical situations."
(on if he said anything to the team about the way they battled all year) "Yes, it's just what I said, what I told them in the locker room – what I just talked about. That's what we talked about. I think that's what's to be said for."
(on if they could've run the ball instead on QB Tyler Huntley's interception in the end zone) "Sure, we could have. We could have run the ball there."
(on if he said anything to QB Tyler Huntley to lift his spirits after today's performance) "Yes, I'll talk to Tyler [Huntley]. Tyler is a strong guy, a very strong competitor. He'll be fine. We'll talk to him. We'll talk to everybody. He'll be in great shape. He'll learn from all the experiences here. He'll go on with the rest of his career, and he's going to do very well. I'm very happy with him, and I love him to death."
(on if CB Tavon Young got hurt in the game) "Yes, he had a hamstring tweak there that was really bothering him."
(on how aware the team was of the score of the Jaguars-Colts game) "It was on the scoreboard. So, we knew about it."
(on how long it will take to get over this loss) "I don't have anything to say about that."
(on the how the veteran players are feeling after this loss) "Everybody is disappointed. We want to win the game. We fight to win the game. To sit here and describe everybody's feelings, I don't really have the answers for that. It's really not what I'm interested in doing."
TE Mark Andrews
(on what was going through his mind when he saw the Steelers field goal split the uprights) "It's tough, because, like you said, we've had some tough losses. We've had a year of a bunch of fighting, a bunch of guys persevering, and nobody flinched the whole season – and that was true for this game, too. Our cards just didn't roll right for this game. We were put in the right positions, and unfortunately didn't win this game. But I just want to say that I'm proud of this team. These brothers that I play with – each and every play, each and every day – we come to work, we work hard, and these coaches coach us hard, and that's what's beautiful about the Ravens, man. So, we're going to hit the lab, go back to work and think about this and get better for next offseason."
(on if this game felt like others this season, where one play on either side of the ball could have been the difference) "Yes, you said it pretty clearly. There's a lot of plays – that's football. I said this a couple games ago: It's a game of inches. That's the truth. It's one play here, one play there, and the game is different. And so, I know there's all things that we want to get better at. We wanted to have made plays. Me, personally, there's definitely plays I wish I could have made today and helped this team out a little bit more, and we win that game. We're at the point now where it's about looking ourselves in the mirror, understanding that we have a really, really good team, and this organization allows people to flourish, and we're going to be just fine. We've got the pieces, we've got the coaches, and it's time to get to work. It's time to get serious in this offseason and come back strong."
(on WR Marquise Brown) "Obviously, him hitting that 1,000 yards is special. There haven't been many guys in the Ravens' uniform to be able to make that accomplishment, so I'm extremely proud of him, how he's grown as a player [and] as a person. The sky is the limit for Marquise [Brown], and I'm excited about it, but I'm also happy for him. So, we've got a special player in him."
(on how tough this is for him) "It sucks. Obviously, like I said before, there's things that I want back, and there's things that I can do differently, and I think that it helps us win that game. But at the end of the day, that's football – things happen. I'm always going to be someone that is very harsh on myself. I'm going to go back, learn, get better and not make those same mistakes next year. So, like I said before, again, I'm going to treat this offseason very seriously. I'm already thinking about the ways I can train, ways I can get better and upcoming things. So, I'm excited about this team going forward."
(on his record-setting season) "For me, it's never about setting records. I'm not a 'me' guy or an 'I' guy; I'm a 'team' guy. That's the thing that really matters to me, and we've got a great team, a great team that, again, has fought all year long. You've just got to kind of think back to every game that we've had, and it's been a special year. I'm sad it's done. I hate losing more than anything, and this organization hates losing. We like to win, and that's what we do – we win games – and we're going to find a way to do that again."
(on what allows him to be so positive during this rough stretch) "I'm so positive, because I know the type of men we have in this organization. I know the type of teammates that we have. We have a bunch of guys that are really, really good football players. We've been hit by a lot of things this year, and things just didn't go quite our way, but I think when we get guys back, we'll come back strong. [If] guys are focused in the offseason, working on themselves, healthy, and we come back 100%, this is a scary team."
(on if he felt he flashed open in the end zone on the pass that was intercepted) "Yes. I think it's a touchdown if I just go back to the ball. That's a mistake on me more than anything. 'Snoop' [Tyler Huntley] is seeing the game really well, he's doing a lot of great things. And for me, [I've] just got to go help him and come back to that ball, and that's a touchdown, man. My hand was on the ball – so I've got to be better there."
(on how much time he'll take off before gearing up for next season) "I think every offseason is different. You've kind of got to gauge where your body's at, how you feel, but I feel really, really good still – this late in the season. I think I've just taken care of my body. I've learned, throughout the years, what helps me out, what makes me tick. I'm always going to be someone that works, so I'm going to be working here in the next week or so, probably."
DT Calais Campbell
(on how disappointing it was that the Steelers converted multiple third-and-longs in overtime) "Very. You practice really hard, you go through all the plays, what we're going to do and what they're going to do, and we feel like we should be able to make the plays. You have to tip your hat off to them. They fought hard, and they're competitors, too. They made the plays, and we didn't – football is as simple as that. Whoever makes the plays in the biggest moments are going to win the game. It hurts just thinking about the opportunities we had, and we couldn't get it done, but it's football. You have to tip your hat to those guys, they earned it."
(on how aware the team was that Jacksonville was beating the Colts and how much more disappointing it makes the loss) "Yes, that makes it sting a whole lot more. I was aware the whole game. I was tracking along, scoreboard watching, just because it's natural to do. I saw them go up early, and I saw them never let up. They were playing great football. I'm proud of those guys to give us an opportunity; it just sucks that we didn't take advantage of it. I mean, you can't cry over spilled milk – it is what it is. I feel like we had our opportunities, we just didn't get it done. That's the way the whole season has been – opportunity after opportunity and just missing it. There's a lot of fight in this team [and] a lot of heart. It's just tough when you give it that much effort and that much energy but you can't get it done. Those ones hurt the most."
(on what it's like to leave the locker room and not know how many of his teammates he'll play with again) "Yes... The only thing guaranteed in football is change. This team will never be the same. You'll have draft picks come in. You're going to have guys going to other teams [and] guys retiring. That's just the nature of the business. It's a great group of guys. We had a lot of fun. We were pretty much [on] a roller coaster ride. These last few weeks were definitely hard and frustrating, but the guys never wavered. We just fought hard, and we stayed together. It's a testament to this group of men in here. Knowing that it's not going to be the same definitely makes it just that much harder. I was honored to have the privilege to suit up and compete with these guys in the locker room. It was definitely a pleasure."
(on QB Ben Roethlisberger leading the Steelers to another fourth quarter comeback and overtime win) "You know, you have to pay respect where respect is due. We made it hard on him. We definitely made it hard on him, and he just kept coming. You have to respect the competitor. He's a Hall of Fame player for that very reason, because when the game is on the line, that's when his best football comes out. He made the plays he needed to. It just sucks, because we felt like we had the opportunity to win the game, and we didn't get it done. It's really a testament to them. They made the plays, and we didn't. 'Big Ben' [Ben Roethlisberger], he's a legend for making the playing in the critical moments. I don't know … I think they have a chance to continue playing football, so it won't be his last game after all. But he's a warrior. Much respect to him."
(on what was going through his mind when he was sitting on the bench after the game had ended) "I know what you're talking about. I was just exhausted, tired [and] frustrated. [I was] just sitting there soaking it all in – just the feeling of playing football, competing, giving it my all and leaving it on the field. Just sitting there kind of just … I mean, who knows? I wanted to take it in. It just … It sucks. I would've loved to be celebrating and screaming and yelling. When you have another team celebrating on your field, that's painful, but I didn't want to go inside. I wanted to sit there and just let it burn. But really, I was just taking a moment and showing appreciation to my teammates. … I just have to wear my emotions. I just have to feel it. My eyes got a little watery; I just had to take it in."
(on how long it'll take him to decide if he's coming back to the team) "Thank you very much, I appreciate that. … (laughter) I don't know. I guess it's a … It's a process. I haven't been in this situation before, so I don't know. But I'd hate to end it this way, that's for sure. (laughter) I guess very few people get to win the Super Bowl and run off into the sunset. I guess you're always going to be upset unless you won it all [at the end]. I don't know, but I'm just going to take my time. I'm going to enjoy my family, and we'll just see what happens. I don't plan to make it a long decision, but I have to go through the process, feel what I feel, pray about it and just let the good Lord take me where He wants me to go."
S Chuck Clark
(on how difficult it was to end the season on another close loss) "I really only have one message for all of the questions, you know what I'm saying? So, every question that is going to come after this, as respectfully as I can say as possible, just watch how we bounce back. That's all I have to say."
QB Tyler Huntley
(on the difficulties with turnovers today) "The two picks [interceptions], I was trying to get the ball in a great players hands. [The] defense did a good job. The first one, he dove out, scooped it off the ground. That's a tremendous play by him. And then the second one, just trying to get the ball to Mark [Andrews], and the touchdown. The cornerback made a great play. The Steelers played great today."
(on how he will ultimately process this season) "We've just got to translate this hurt, this long season, this up-and-down season, this crazy season … We've just got to translate that into our offseason, come back next year and just prepare ourselves for another long season. We've just got to be ready to attack whatever comes to us coming in the next season, because we don't know. If you ask us about what all went on this year, we wouldn't even have an answer for you, for real, because it's just been too much hitting us at once. But we're going to use the offseason to regroup, recollect ourselves and refocus."
(on if he saw WR Rashod Bateman breaking open in the end zone on his interception, or if TE Mark Andrews was his first read and he locked in on him) "No. Why I couldn't get the ball to [Rashod] Bateman – it was a flat defender under him, which made me get off of [Rashod] Bateman. And getting back to Mark [Andrews], I felt like it was enough space, but I just couldn't drive it how I wanted to. Kudos to No. 20 [CB Cameron Sutton] – he made a great play falling into it. Why I couldn't get to my third person in the read, because the safety took it away. He ran to Marquise [Brown], so that's what made me get back to Mark [Andrews] down the middle. It's just tough."
(on what he takes into this offseason from a personal standpoint) "There's a lot that's going to drive me this offseason. [I've] just got to channel myself and try to work so when my time is called next year, I'm ready for it."
(on what he's learned from QB Lamar Jackson this season) "[Lamar Jackson] 'LJ' is a winner. I need to translate that over. He's a great player and he just makes big-time plays. I learned that a lot from him – he's made big-time plays, for sure."
(on if the six-game losing streak is the biggest source of pain, or not being able to make the playoffs) "I think it starts with the amount of how many games we lost by under three points. That's what really hurts. It came down to one less play that we didn't make. That's what really hurts. If we made those plays, that one last play in all these games, it would be a whole different outcome, we'll be in the playoffs, and everything will be OK. But it didn't happen like that, and this is the route that's written right now. So, we've just got to focus for next year at this point."
(on when the Steelers made the game-winning field goal and the feeling on the sideline when the team realized the season was over) "You just feel like all the preparation that you put in, the hard work that you put in, it just hurts to see it all just end like that. That's all I can explain about it."
(on how much the team harps on the 'what ifs' of this season) "All the 'what ifs,' I feel like you go down the road of, 'What if, what if.' I feel like what if I was the President, how would the world be? You know what I mean? We can't say, 'What if.' We've just got to face the facts of what happened. And like I said, what if we would've made that last play in those last few games and got an extra field goal or an extra touchdown, we wouldn't even be talking about 'what if.' So, I just feel like right now, we've got to face what's really going on and just roll with the punches."
(on what the common factor has been during this losing streak) "I'd say execution. And then at the same time too, we're playing some great players. They made plays, and we didn't make them. We didn't execute, [and] they executed."
RB Latavius Murray
(on how tough of a loss this was) "Obviously, we knew the situation coming in. So, first was taking care of business and winning the game, [and] we didn't do that. And if we did that, we knew we had a chance; without it, we didn't. So, none of that mattered, obviously, because we didn't get the job done."
(on the running game in the second half, and if he knew they had the Steelers on their heels a bit) "Yes, definitely. We felt we could run the ball, but I think, again, just [not] finding a way to score touchdowns in the red zone hurt us again – to try to put the game away."
(on looking back on the season now that it's over) "For me, personally, I didn't expect to be here, obviously, sitting here, with what happened at the beginning of the season. But playing on this team … I've never been a part of a team that fought the way we did. [I've got] a lot of respect for these guys, a lot of respect for this team – week in and week out – just fighting to the end, especially with everything we were up against this year. So, again, it wasn't the outcome we wanted, but I felt we had everything we needed this last stretch, but we just didn't get it done."
(on how close he thinks the Ravens were to the team they aspired to be) "I think these last few weeks just showed. Again, it's a tale [of] two seasons, if you want to say that. The first half of the season, we found a way to win these games, [but] in the second half, we didn't. So, I appreciate [head coach John Harbaugh] for saying we fought and whatnot, but I think all of us are going to look back and just realize we didn't get it done – and we still had a chance, but we didn't get it done – at the end of the day. There aren't second-place trophies – or anything like that – being handed out."
WR Marquise Brown
(on how difficult the past six weeks have been) "It's very frustrating to go week to week with the same outcome, but we've come right back each week and put ourselves in position to win these games. We fight to the end, and that's just how we're built. We keep fighting, but you win some, you lose some."
(on if there is encouragement about what this team can be next year) "Definitely. The whole identity of our team changed throughout the course of the season. To even be put in a position that we put ourselves in, of course we wanted to win more, but it's very encouraging going into next season."
(on playing with a lot of different quarterbacks this year) "Tyler [Huntley] getting in and just playing his heart out. Lamar [Jackson], we started off 8-3, and he was playing some of his best football. But, things happen, and I know those guys are encouraged. We'll all go to work in the offseason and come back even better."
(on recording his first 1,000-yard season) "It's very special. I feel like that's just the base; I feel like I can be a lot more than just a 1,000-yard receiver. So, I want to personally just get back to work and come back even better next year."
ILB Josh Bynes
(on how frustrating it's been to not finish games, but how proud he is of his teammates playing it out to the final whistle) "I'm very proud of the guys doing what they ... [They] fought in every single game, especially in five of the last six [games] when we lost by a total of eight points. That's crazy. We fought our tails off to win this game, and obviously, we came up short. I love the guys in this locker room. It's just very unfortunate. We just have to find a way, obviously, next season, to get this thing going so we finish games like this, and obviously, go back and get into the playoffs."
(on if it's encouraging going into the offseason knowing the quality of guys that are going to come back healthy next season) "Oh, yes, for sure. Obviously, having guys healthy and getting them back next year would be tremendous for this team, but it also gave a lot of experience for guys who didn't see themselves playing this year as much as they have and to get them opportunities. So, hypothetically, if it was a situation where somebody is down, which this is football, there's 100% injuries … So, [when] somebody is down, we know that we have more than a couple guys who are capable to go in, make plays and be just as much of a starter as the man who just left. So, definitely a lot of guys had a good run and made some plays this year. It'll be good for the organization moving forward."
(on how the defense did containing QB Ben Roethlisberger) "We did a good job for most of the game, doing what we had to do. We just fell short the last few plays of the game and let them get the field goal in overtime. But guys fought their tails off. We were stuffing the run. We were just really playing sound defensively, communicating, making plays [and] getting stops when we needed to. It was just at the end, they just made those one or two couple plays that led them down the field, obviously, to win the game."
G Kevin Zeitler
(on another game coming down to the end and how difficult it is to come up short again) "Obviously, very frustrating. Nobody ever wants to be part of a losing streak. Unfortunately, I've been a part of many throughout my career. This team has battled all year, truly no flinching no matter what has happened. No matter who we've had out on that field, we've been in games, and with some of the favorites to win this whole thing in recent weeks. The fight we give every week is really just a true testament to the whole organization, how they keep us motivated, and how they keep us going. Obviously, there are going to be a lot of 'what ifs' and 'if only,' but we'll have all offseason to deal with that. It's also a realization that there are a lot if really good things happening here, and it will be on us next year to make sure we put this thing together. To be this close through all those situations, there's no more excuses. We've got to get out there, get everyone back, and everyone has to lock in for next year."
(on what was working well with the run game today and RB Latavius Murray's big day) "I'm so happy for Latavius [Murray]. He finally got his chance to shine today, and he read the hole well, he made great plays, he played tough, and the Steelers' defense is no joke. They have a lot of depth, lots of talent, all the history, a great narrative that it's always tough to play them. But we were able to get the ball going, but like a lot of things, the biggest thing will be that we need to finish. We have to get after it this offseason and figure it out."
