Coach John Harbaugh provides final updates before Week 9 matchup

John Harbaugh (0:00)

Beautiful day for practice out here. Had a good practice, and all eyes to Sunday. What questions you have?

SPEAKER_2 (0:06)

What are you doing at the end, just yesterday? Some of you guys were inside?

John Harbaugh (0:08)

Oh, they had the champ.

SPEAKER_3 (0:11)

UFC heavyweight champ, so, oh god.

John Harbaugh (0:13)

Yeah, he was here watching practice, and a bunch of the guys were over there sparring with him a little bit, I guess, you know?

He said he always dreamed of being a tight end, you know? Had to check out his hands a little bit, see how he looked. You never know, that could be the big story, you know? They're the most new free agent.

SPEAKER_3 (0:30)

He played running back, and he wouldn't be anything like that on Sunday.

SPEAKER_4 (0:35)

Are you going to keep the door open for Scott or?

John Harbaugh (0:40)

Yeah, let's keep it open. Let's keep it open. Let's see what happens.

SPEAKER_5 (0:43)

Was he able to do anything today in practice?

John Harbaugh (0:45)

No. He didn't do anything today.

SPEAKER_4 (0:50)

You cut, or I know he's going, likely going back to the practice spot. Hayner yesterday, you opened up a roster spot. Anything to that?

John Harbaugh (0:59)

Yeah, there's something to it. There's a reason for it.

I'm not making any announcements at this meeting, no, at this particular press conference. We have certain roster moves we need to make with our various situations.

SPEAKER_5 (1:14)

You're talking internal roster moves?

John Harbaugh (1:16)

Yeah.

SPEAKER_6 (1:17)

John, I assume you talk to the players about it for each game. Hostile environment, heated division rivalry. Do you have to tell your players, let's be a little careful, make sure we keep our emotions in check?

John Harbaugh (1:33)

Yeah, I mean, that's definitely part of the message. Different kind of ways to try to make sure we understand, being smart is really important.

Playing with discipline is really important. So, that's a big part of winning football.

SPEAKER_2 (1:48)

With Malik yesterday, or was that just something where he wasn't physically ready to go, or what happened there?

John Harbaugh (1:53)

It was just something, you know, in season type thing. Nothing serious.

SPEAKER_5 (1:59)

What did you see from him today?

John Harbaugh (2:00)

He practiced fully. He was full participation. It's not an issue. He'll be full goal for the game.

I mean, he made the announcement. Did you hear what he said?

SPEAKER_5 (2:10)

I think he said I practiced or something like that.

John Harbaugh (2:12)

I don't know what he said.

SPEAKER_2 (2:14)

He said yesterday. How is Charlie Jones managing the phone?

John Harbaugh (2:20)

Yeah, he's managing it.

He was out here. He was out today with, you know, catching and everything like that. So I just want to make sure he could catch. So we'll see how he felt. I haven't talked to him yet. We'll see how he felt.

SPEAKER_2 (2:33)

Take a couple more. Javon Holland is listed as the backup on return. What is your comfort level with using every down starter in that type of role?

John Harbaugh (2:42)

Yeah, not ideal. I mean, if we have to do it, we will, but not ideal. Right? Now, Javon's really good. Like, I don't have any worries, any qualms about Javon at all.

You know, knowing him, he'd be thrilled if he gets the opportunity to do it, the more he can do, but he'd be very capable of doing very well, but it wouldn't be the ideal.

SPEAKER_5 (3:04)

You mentioned earlier in the week about being on the other side of this rivalry. Does this mean more to you, or is it special to you to be on, you know, to play the Eagles now in this rivalry, like in the NFC's?

John Harbaugh (3:21)

If I take stock of that, I haven't really thought about it. I think it's something kind of cool, but beyond that, no, because it's just a really important game for our team. I mean, really, honestly, like, that's really what overwhelms your thinking, is the opportunity that we have against a big rival.

We know what kind of an environment it's going to be. We know what type of a game it's going to be. We understand all that our guys do, and that's what you just get ready for. All the other stuff is just kind of interesting. Pulling up on the bus, where the few times that we played there in the past, since I left there, it was always kind of interesting going into the stadium and stuff, because you've been there before, but so long ago, it's really more, way, way, way, way, way more about what's at stake for us.