John Harbaugh, Ravens Honor Late Family Friend

Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh paid tribute to a close friend to start Monday's press conference.

Oct 6, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh walks off the field after the victory over the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images / Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

The Baltimore Ravens have won four straight games and re-established themselves as top contenders, partially because they're playing for more than just themselves.

On Monday, head coach John Harbaugh moved his weekly presser up an hour and a half to 1 p.m. ET. The reason for the time change, as Harbaugh revealed, was so he could attend a funeral for his family friend Rachel, who tragically passed away on Friday after a long battle with cancer.

It wasn't just Harbaugh that shared a bond with Rachel, but the Ravens as a whole.

Coach Harbaugh opens his presser with a heartfelt message about late family friend Rachel 💜 pic.twitter.com/nrwybOMDXX

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) October 14, 2024

"The reason is that Ingrid [Harbaugh's wife] and I have a funeral to go to later today, and it's someone that made a big difference that we've known for a long time in our lives, and someone that made a difference actually in the game this week," Harbaugh told reporters. "Her name is Rachel, and she's been a family friend for a long time. She had been battling cancer for over 10 years, and she's been doing great against it and dominating it and outlived all predictions and had a great life with her family for the past number of years, and just was an inspiration as far as who she was. And we talked to the team about her, and the team sent her some encouraging messages on video and to her family that they can cherish now, and she passed on Friday.

"Our guys took it to heart, and it was something that was meaningful to them, and I think they carried it with them into the game – the perspective that something like this provides you with. God bless Rachel and her family, and may she rest in the arms of the Lord for all of eternity."

The Ravens certainly gave an inspired performance in Sunday's 30-23 win over the upstart Washington Commanders. The Lamar Jackson-led offense racked up 484 total yards on the day, while the defense held its own against a dangerous Washington offense led by rookie phenom Jayden Daniels.

It's important to remember that football players are just humans at the end of the day, and just like the rest of us, emotions can be a strong motivator to play as hard as they can.

Make sure you bookmark Baltimore Ravens on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

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