The Baltimore Ravens are single-minded in their quest to win a championship. They haven't done so with Lamar Jacksonleading the way, despite the multiple MVPs the star quarterback has won in captaining the team to outstanding regular season numbers season after season, but the team-wide goal since he emerged into one of the best in the game remains unchanged.
Offseason roster tweaks have put the Ravens in an even better position to succeed than before, lining them up to take over the AFC and the NFL should they finally get over the hump and win it all in 2026. Analysts see the chance the Ravens have given themselves, their perfectly-timed window and years of disappointments, figuring that this is their perfect opportunity.
All of that "championship or bust" talk is felt within Baltimore's walls, too, but not everyone is a fan of that talking point.
John Harbaugh, the longtime head coach of the team, is sick and tired of that narrative. He sees it as a lazy way of overlooking the work that everyone in their facility is doing to reach their goals day by day.
"That's just so phony," he said on the "do-or-die" mindset on The Lounge. "I mean, anybody that ever says something like that has never actually accomplished anything. Because they'd understand that it's about process and who you become.
"You wanna win a championship, you gotta become a champion, you gotta do the things that champions do. And then you go in there and fight, let the chips fly, and see if you can win it. And that's what we've been doing. Our guys have been doing that at a championship level. We haven't won a championship yet. Is that gonna be in our future? Who knows? No one knows the future."
They've certainly had to hear the negative side of that narrative in recent years, with playoff flame-outs resulting in many analysts and fans doubting the Ravens' ability to get it done when it counts and picking correctly every season. That pressure to succeed, Harbaugh worries, overlooks the process by which a team turns from contender to victor.
He'd know what he's talking about, having been in charge of Baltimore's on-field operation for much longer than this most recent chapter of Ravens football. He's entering his 18th season at the team's helm, having helped guide them to their most recent championship in 2012, not nearly distant enough to consider the last decade a drought.
Regardless of his experience, or his opinion on what people have to say when predicting how his team's season will play out, all eyes will remain on how much the Ravens resemble a Super Bowl winner from fall to February. While their day-to-day process may be occasionally overlooked, their destiny remains up to them.
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Offseason roster tweaks have put the Ravens in an even better position to succeed than before, lining them up to take over the AFC and the NFL should they finally get over the hump and win it all in 2026. Analysts see the chance the Ravens have given themselves, their perfectly-timed window and years of disappointments, figuring that this is their perfect opportunity.
All of that "championship or bust" talk is felt within Baltimore's walls, too, but not everyone is a fan of that talking point.
John Harbaugh, the longtime head coach of the team, is sick and tired of that narrative. He sees it as a lazy way of overlooking the work that everyone in their facility is doing to reach their goals day by day.
"That's just so phony," he said on the "do-or-die" mindset on The Lounge. "I mean, anybody that ever says something like that has never actually accomplished anything. Because they'd understand that it's about process and who you become.
"You wanna win a championship, you gotta become a champion, you gotta do the things that champions do. And then you go in there and fight, let the chips fly, and see if you can win it. And that's what we've been doing. Our guys have been doing that at a championship level. We haven't won a championship yet. Is that gonna be in our future? Who knows? No one knows the future."
They've certainly had to hear the negative side of that narrative in recent years, with playoff flame-outs resulting in many analysts and fans doubting the Ravens' ability to get it done when it counts and picking correctly every season. That pressure to succeed, Harbaugh worries, overlooks the process by which a team turns from contender to victor.
He'd know what he's talking about, having been in charge of Baltimore's on-field operation for much longer than this most recent chapter of Ravens football. He's entering his 18th season at the team's helm, having helped guide them to their most recent championship in 2012, not nearly distant enough to consider the last decade a drought.
Regardless of his experience, or his opinion on what people have to say when predicting how his team's season will play out, all eyes will remain on how much the Ravens resemble a Super Bowl winner from fall to February. While their day-to-day process may be occasionally overlooked, their destiny remains up to them.
Ravens Coach Slams Super Bowl or Bust Narrative
The Baltimore Ravens are single-minded in their quest to win a championship. They haven't done so with Lamar Jackson leading the way, despite the multiple MVPs
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