Raven Country

Ravens' Marlon Humphrey Jokes About Trolling Steelers

Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey came through in the clutch yet again.

Jon Alfano

Nov 17, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey (44) celebrates with Nate Wiggins (2) after ntercepting a pass in the end zone against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images
Nov 17, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey (44) celebrates with Nate Wiggins (2) after ntercepting a pass in the end zone against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images / Barry Reeger-Imagn Images
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It looked like it was happening again, the Baltimore Ravens were losing control of yet another game against the rival Pittsburgh Steelers. Lamar Jackson threw an interception in the red zone, and the Steelers had a chance to go down and tie the game late.

Then Marlon Humphrey came to the rescue, as he so often does. The former All-Pro cornerback, who's enjoying a remarkable bounce-back season after battling injuries for years, stepped in front of a short pass by Steelers quarterback Russell Wilons, returning it 37 yards to the house and causing M&T Bank Stadium to erupt.

Just before crossing the plain, Humphrey held the ball out behind him in what many interpreted as a taunt directed at Pittsburgh. After the game, though, Humphrey explained what he actually intended to do there.

"I want to make this pretty clear: When I was running with the football, I saw David Ojabo, a really great teammate of mine, and I was trying to pitch him the football," Humphrey told reporters. "Some people brought up to me that it looked like taunting or something, but I was trying to pitch him the football, and there's no taunting there at all; I just want to make that very clear. Ojabo is a great guy. I wanted to pitch it to him. Then I got in the end zone, and it was good."

Ojabo, who has been a healthy scratch at points this season, was a clear impact player on Saturday. He caused the pressure on the play, so it makes sense why Humphrey wanted him to get in on the fun as well.

It was a momentous occasion for Humphrey as well. Not only did that give him six interceptions on the season, most in the AFC and tied for third-most in the league, but it was the first pick six of his career, and in the biggest game of the season no less. Additionally, Humphrey just welcomed his son, Duke, into the world this week, so he was playing with a bit of extra emotion in thiss game.

"There's a lot of great things that happened this week," Humphrey said.

The Ravens' defense has improved substantially over the past several weeks, and Humphrey's leadership has undoubtedly fueled that turnaround. As the playoffs approach, though, there's still plenty of room for improvement.

"I just think we've just got to continue to put in the work in practice, continue to be vocal [and] continue to just strive for greatness, because it's just different when you put on that Ravens jersey," Humphrey said. "The standard of defense has got to be ... The bar is set really high, and I feel like, obviously, we dropped it earlier, but now that we've been emphasizing it more ... And we've really taken it upon [ourselves], because I felt like the calls ... We just were not executing the calls. If you go through a lot of the plays, [and] you look at each time there's a big play, somebody is not doing their job.

"So, the adjustment has really kind of been simple; just 11 guys are now doing their job, and the success has been coming."

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Jon Alfano
JON ALFANO

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