At first, everyone thought it was the coaches and staff who decided to remove the locker room games and ping pong tables to get the players refocused. However, it was one of the Ravens’ top QBs who decided that Baltimore should be grounded. As cornerback Marlon Humphrey revealed on his podcast, it was actually their quarterback, Lamar Jackson, who made the call.

“Lamar Jackson,” Humphrey said mockingly. “So he got it out.”

No one really knew why the games suddenly disappeared from the Ravens’ locker room. Reportedly, it was the Ravens’ head coach, John Harbaugh, but now it’s clear that Jackson wanted to set the tone straight and get everyone locked in after a rough start to the season. With 5 losses this season so far, one might hope that cutting on distractions might help. Yes? No? Maybe?

Well, the Ravens aren’t the first team to try sparking changes by removing locker room ping pong tables.

Tom Coughlin is infamous for his ping pong disliking during his tenure with the New York Giants and the Jacksonville Jaguars. When Coughlin took over the Giants coaching department in 2004, one of his first actions was removing the ping pong tables. Years later, when the 79-year-old coach returned to his former team, Jacksonville, as vice president of football operations, he reportedly brought the same rule in practice.

The Steelers head coach, Mike Tomlin, reportedly banned ping pong, shuffleboard, and pool from the Pittsburgh locker room after their 0-4 start in 2013. Similarly, the Miami Dolphins‘ team players took it upon themselves to remove their ping pong table after dropping two straight games early in the 2022 season.

While it might seem like a necessary measure to some, for many, the locker room recreational activities are a means to ensure a space to relax after a long and tiring day. Unfortunately, that won’t be the case anymore in the Ravens’ locker room.

Speaking of the Ravens, is Jackson returning to help his team become relevant again?

Jackson is expected to return on Thursday

Lamar Jackson is expected to make his return for the Baltimore Ravens in week 9. The QB missed three games because of a hamstring injury that he sustained against the Chiefs. The team had him listed as a limited participant in practice for all these weeks before officially ruling him out of week 8 against the Chicago Bears.

“I feel very confident about it. We’ll expect him to be out there Thursday night,” the coach said in one of the press conferences.

Both John Harbaugh and the Ravens have stressed taking a cautious approach. They are making sure that Jackson doesn’t rush back and risk a re-injury. His on-paper performance has also made him a potential asset.

Jackson has completed 68 of 95 passes with a 71.6% completion rate for 869 yards. He managed 10 touchdowns in his almost four appearances with just 1 interception so far.

Beyond his number, his leadership and effort have been widely praised for ushering in a struggling Ravens. Jackson has always acted as a driving force for accountability and discipline in the locker room.