Raven Country

Ravens' Marlon Humphrey Defends Steelers RB

The Baltimore Ravens face the Pittsburgh Steelers twice a year, but one Pro Bowler is coming to the defense of a respected opponent.

Jeremy Brener

Nov 12, 2023; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey (44) takes the
Nov 12, 2023; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey (44) takes the / Jessica Rapfogel-USA TODAY Sports
In this story:

The Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers may not like each other, but they do respect one another (sometimes).

The fifth-year option deadline came and went on Thursday, and Steelers running back Najee Harris was among the 12 players who didn't have their option accepted. This means that Harris will be a free agent following the 2024 season. Among the other players that didn't have their option accepted were No. 2 overall pick Zach Wilson, Steelers quarterback Justin Fields and Kansas City Chiefs receiver Kadarius Toney.

All of the aforementioned players have struggled greatly, but Harris has run for over 1,000 yards in each of his first three NFL seasons. The decision to decline Harris' option had Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey voice his opinion on social media.

Running backs and their valuation have been a major point of controversy over the past few seasons. The likes of Jonathan Taylor and Saquon Barkley, two of the league's best at the position, didn't receive ideal contracts from their team, forcing the franchise tag to be used on both of them.

Harris shares a backfield with Jaylen Warren, a promising young back who has been one of the better backups in the last two years, so that might contribute to the decision behind not accepting Harris' option.

But regardless of the reasoning from the Steelers organization, it's rare for a Raven to stand up for a rival like Humphrey did here. The kumbaya is nice once in a while, but it likely won't continue when the two teams meet in the fall.

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

Published
Jeremy Brener

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.