FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, August 30th, 2021

PETER KING CONCLUDES TRAINING CAMP TOUR WITH VISIT TO BALTIMORE & REFLECTS ON HIS MONTH ON THE ROAD IN THIS WEEK’S “FMIA” COLUMN

“It’s likely no contending team suffered a bigger injury in August than the Ravens did in losing Dobbins for the year.” – King on Ravens running back J.K. Dobbins’ season-ending injury

 “When I got to the huddle, I don’t think any of [the offensive players] knew what was going on.” – Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert to King on his first NFL game

“Trading Watson, and trading for Watson, is not smart now, at all, unless the Texans accept a conditional trade based on the legal case Watson is going through. I doubt they would.” – King on a potential Deshaun Watson trade

STAMFORD, Conn. – August 30, 2021 – Peter King concludes his annual training camp tour with a visit to the Ravens and provides snapshots from all of this summer’s training camp visits in this week’s edition of Football Morning in America, available now exclusively on NBCSports.com. King speaks with Baltimore head coach John Harbaugh and running back J.K. Dobbins, Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin, Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert, and more.

The following are highlights from this week’s edition of Football Morning in America:

BALTIMORE RAVENS

Ravens head coach John Harbaugh to King on Baltimore’s coaching philosophy: “We try not to live in a world of gray. We live in a world of black and white when we teach. We tell players, This is what we want you to do. This is what we want it to look like. Crystal clear…What stems from that is a real clear vision in terms of what type of players you have, what the roles are. And you try to get the type of players that fit those roles. …You come here, you know you’re gonna work. It’s gonna be football-based. We get guys who embrace that.”

King on Ravens running back J.K. Dobbins’ injury: “Dobbins is gone for the year. It’s likely no contending team suffered a bigger injury in August than the Ravens did in losing Dobbins for the year, and it left GM Eric DeCosta perusing the running-back market… My guess: Baltimore will stand pat, because of its faith in (Gus) Edwards, and because (Ty’Son) Williams has opened eyes throughout camp.”

King: “Crucial players disappear. That’s life in the NFL. My story out of Baltimore was going to be how the Ravens always seem to figure it out. They’re never bad…Now it’s up to DeCosta and Harbaugh to be sure the Dobbins injury doesn’t derail their hopes for the season.”

King on the Ravens’ personnel strategy: “Most teams get apoplectic when big-money players reach free agency and it looks like they might leave. The Ravens almost welcome it…They know it’s part of a smart circle of life in the NFL.”

Harbaugh to King on veterans wanting to sign with Baltimore: “I always try to make sure guys understand, Hey, this is what you’re getting into. These are our standards. This is what we believe in. This is our world view. These guys tell us they know, they’ve talked to our guys and they know. That makes me feel good, that our guys are saying good things about our program.”

Dobbins (prior to his injury) to King on his pursuit of success in the NFL: “How much do I want it? Man, let me think. Let me think of some analogy here. I want that more than a person wants to breathe. I want to be that guy because that’s just who I am. I wanna be the best. Why not me?”

Dobbins to King on the type of player he wants to be: “I wanna be the guy that my teammates look to like, We wanna be on your shoulders. My offensive line is looking at me like, We want this guy to run behind us. I can feel it from them. I’ve been working hard for it. I think I’m ready for it if that opportunity comes.”

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS/HURRICANE IDA

King on the Saints’ evacuation: “The sudden relocation of about 160 football employees (players, coaches and staff) and more than 100 family members happened virtually overnight on Friday, once the severity of the hurricane became apparent. Owner Gayle Benson authorized the mobilization of two charter planes to fly the team people and families to Dallas an hour apart late Saturday afternoon. Some families with pets chose to make the drive to Dallas and meet the team there.”

King: “Tuesday is cut day around the NFL, with teams required to pare rosters from 80 to 53 by 3 p.m. CT. That will make it tough for GM Mickey Loomis and coach Sean Payton, who will likely have to make their cuts before practice at the hotel in Dallas.”

King on potential Week 1 scenarios for the Saints-Packers game: “A couple of points to make on this: The NFL wouldn’t move the Sept. 12 game to Lambeau Field for competitive reasons, giving the Pack home-field advantage in such a significant game. And with prospective sites like Indianapolis, Detroit, Houston and Atlanta all unavailable because those teams are home on the 12th, the vacancy at AT&T Stadium in Texas that day might make it the best alternative sight. It’s too early to seriously consider Packers-Saints at Jerryworld in Week 1, but it’s certainly in the back of minds at the NFL this morning.”

TRAINING CAMP SNAPSHOTS

Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert to King on his first NFL game: “When I got to the huddle, I don’t think any of [the offensive players] knew what was going on. [Tight end] Hunter Henry, when he saw me out there, he gave me a look and almost said, ‘What are you doing out here?’ I just called the play and I said, ‘We’re gonna run the play. I’m gonna hand it off and we’re gonna get five yards.’ That’s kind of how it went down.”

Herbert to King on his first NFL throw: “I remember my first pass was to Keenen (Allen) and I sailed it over his head. I was so excited I threw it probably 10 feet above his head. He came back to the huddle and he said, ‘Okay, calm down now. You got it out of your system.’ We come back and ended up completing a protection little check release to Josh Kelley for about 40 or 50 yards. I flipped the protection [to the left] and that’s kind of when I was like, Calm down, figure it out. It’s football. Maybe we can do this thing.

Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin to King on offseason roster changes: “It’s just part of it. We were last in the league last year in running the football, so there’s not a lot of room or places to fall. We don’t live in our fear; we live in our hopes and dreams and we’re excited about this group that we’re putting together and the way they’re working and the way that they’re coming together.”

King on the Texans potentially trading Deshaun Watson: “Trading Watson, and trading for Watson, is not smart now, at all, unless the Texans accept a conditional trade based on the legal case Watson is going through. I doubt they would.”

King on a potential Deshaun Watson trade: “I have no idea what the outcome of Watson’s legal morass is going to be. But the interested teams can’t know either…Would you trade three ones for a player if you were fairly sure he wouldn’t play for your team till 2023 – and that he might be tarnished significantly whenever he puts on the uniform?”

King on the 49ers’ quarterback situation: “I think now we can see Kyle Shanahan’s plan for the 49er quarterback brigade early. Looks like he’s going to do something everyone in the NFL says can’t work – regularly shuffle quarterbacks in and out of the game…Shanahan has to think that a defense will have some issues preparing for two quarterbacks.”

King on the Patriots trading running back Sony Michel: “Look at it this way: The Patriots probably would have made the Michel-for-[Shaun] Wade trade straight up, and now, in trading a fifth and a seventh to Baltimore for Wade, and acquiring a fourth and a sixth from the Rams for Michel, New England moves up maybe 30 slots with two future picks.”

King on Patriots quarterback Mac Jones: “I think whoever wins the Patriots QB job, Mac Jones has proven that New England picking him 15th last April was brilliant. Predictable, but brilliant.”

Read the full FMIA column here and catch the weekly Peter King Podcast here.

The following are additional highlights of NBC Sports’ NFL coverage:

    • PFT Live with NBC Sports’ Mike Florio and Chris Simms streams live on Peacock from 7 a.m. – 9 a.m. ET on weekdays, followed by The Dan Patrick Show at 9 a.m. ET, The Rich Eisen Show at Noon ET, Brother From Another at 3 p.m. ET, PFT PM at 5 p.m. ET. At 6 p.m. ET, Chris Simms Unbuttoned streams Tuesday-Friday.
    • ProFootballTalk.com continues to provide the latest news and updates.
    • NBC Sports EDGE’s A Good Football Show continues the NFL discussion and Bet The Edge Podcast provides daily betting insights.

 

A new “Football Morning in America” posts every Monday morning exclusively on NBCSports.com through the NFL season. It was announced in May 2019 that King signed an exclusive agreement with NBC Sports Group that included writing a weekly Monday morning NFL column for NBCSports.com; making regular appearances on PFT Live with Mike Florio; and continuing to contribute to Football Night in America, the most-watched studio show in sports.

NBC SPORTS