Once again the Baltimore Ravens are a threat to win the Super Bowl thanks to a unique young NFL quarterback and his very Catholic coach.
The National Football league has been treated to something it has never seen before, namely a quarterback who is capable of playing like a running back.
Lamar Jackson has befuddled defences all year with his ability to call his own number and to run forever it seems. Traditional systems have a drop-back quarterback who passes or hands the ball to his running backs. With Jackson he has the option to be the running back.
In most games he ends up with the most rushing yards. Other teams don’t know how to contain him. Baltimore has surprisingly amassed the best record in the NFL at 12-2 and is doing it in exciting fashion.
John Harbaugh, the coach of the Ravens, deserves much of the credit for how his system has utilized his star’s gifts. Harbaugh, who led the Ravens to a Super Bowl six years ago, has been willing to break the traditional definition of a quarterback and risk his job doing it.
The organization and the Archdiocese of Baltimore recently sent a signed Lamar Jackson jersey to Pope Francis. Harbaugh signed it as well and was excited to do so for Pope Francis, particularly as Baltimore is the oldest diocese in the U.S. “It’s great. Baltimore is the home of the Catholic Church in the New World. As a Catholic, it is kind of neat and an honour.”
Baltimore Archbishop William E. Lori said that while the Pope prefers football of the other kind (soccer), he gave a big thumbs up. The Pope has also received jerseys and gifts from soccer players, a hockey fan, and a tennis player.
Coach Harbaugh at times will live on the edge much like he does in his faith. Like the time he visited U.S. troops in Afghanistan. “We are blessed with a lot of things in our country and we have to be aware of how they were won for us. Our freedom is God-given, but we have to be stewards of those blessings.”
He talks about the impact his father had on his faith and his approach to life, living each day like it is a gift, with passion. Harbaugh has played a role in bringing weekly Mass to the team with the help of Catholic Athletes for Christ.
The history of Baltimore coaches who held deep Catholic values began with the late Ted Marchibroda. When the team moved to Baltimore from Cleveland in 1995 Marchibroda was at the helm. He always had a Catholic priest say the pre-game prayer which he insisted was not to be a prayer for victory.
“We prayed that we play fairly, that we never intend to hurt anyone, and that we give all praise and glory to God for the athletic gifts that we have.” He added that if anyone was injured during the game on either team they prayed post game that the player be entrusted to God’s care.
Prayer was a huge part of Marchibroda’s day. “Many of the things that I have accomplished I attribute to prayer. My wife also would remind me ‘Don’t ever think it is you.’”
The Franciscans played a vital role in Marchibroda’s turning his life around during some rough university days. No surprise, then, as one of the more successful coaches in history, Marchibroda was known for turning losing franchises around and playing a role in helping players in their lives also.
This post-season, keep a close eye on the Ravens’ progress, as well as the coach and quarterback who added to Pope Francis’ attire.
