The Baltimore Ravens insists on its celebration of the Tennessee Titans logo after Marcus Peters’ interception was not planned.
In the final two minutes of Ravens’ 20-13 wild card victory on Sunday, 15 Ravens defenders followed Peters and invaded the midfield, where many stepped on the logo. This explosion came two months after the Titans’ players joined the Ravens’ logo before the teams’ last game, which led to a clash between Ravens’ coach John Harbaugh and the Titans’ players.
“This is an exciting football game. Sometimes you act out of emotion,” said Ravens’ defensive side, Derek Wolfe. “I thought it was a good time to go ahead and do that – so we did it. It was not a disrespectful thing. It was a team bonding thing, as if we had accomplished something as a team, so come on and get some revenge. . I don’t think it’s a big deal. “
Baltimore’s defensive side, Calais Campbell, who used the Titans logo, told the NFL Network when asked about the midfield meeting: “Respect is earned.”
Peters put an end to the Titans ‘hope of a return with two minutes remaining, when he caught Ryan Tannehill on the Ravens’ 40-yard line, returned the interception 13 yards and then fired into the middle of the field. He jumped over the logo, dropped the ball and shouted to the Titans’ sideline with his arms outstretched. Pro Bowl cornerback Marlon Humphrey sat in the logo and middle linebacker Patrick Queen waved to the Tennessee side.
The Ravens were penalized 15 yards for provocation, but had no impact on the game. Six moves later, Ravens ‘quarterback, Lamar Jackson, knelt one last time and ran off the field without shaking the Titans’ hand, waving his teammates to do the same.
“I feel it was just disrespect to see what happened before the game the last time we faced these guys, and they were on our logo and seeing them come into conflict with our coach,” said Jackson. “It was just disrespectful, because we treated all our opponents with respect. It was no reason to shake hands and things like that. We will be the biggest guy, so we leave the field. I feel like we are being the biggest guys.”
Tennessee’s offensive attack Dennis Kelly doesn’t understand why the Ravens responded that way, because he said the Titans huddled in the midfield before games throughout the season.
“I don’t know where all this ‘disrespectful’ stuff came from,” said Kelly. “If this is what Harbaugh wanted to use to motivate them, I think it worked.”
Titans coach Mike Vrabel declined to elaborate on the Ravens’ midfield celebration and did not shake hands after the game.
“I train the Titans, not the Ravens,” said Vrabel.
Peters was not made available to reporters after the game, and Harbaugh was not asked about his players’ celebration.
“We just like to celebrate; do you know what I mean? It was a good celebration, I think,” said Humphrey. “Usually, whoever does the piece, you run to that person; that person just ends up appearing on the logo.”
ESPN’s Turron Davenport contributed to this report.