Ravens’ Training Intensity Under Scrutiny After Injury-Plagued Season

Baltimore Ravens star receiver Zay Flowers has pointed to excessively intense training practices under former head coach John Harbaugh as a primary factor behind the team’s injury-plagued 2025 season, according to his recent appearance on the “4th and South” podcast. Flowers stated that the Ravens practiced with full pads throughout the regular season, including conducting one-on-one drills as late as Week 17, which left players fatigued and contributed to numerous injuries.

The Ravens finished the 2025 season with an 8-9 record, missing the playoffs for the first time since Harbaugh’s inaugural year in 2008. Flowers explained that the team’s approach to preparation left players unable to recover properly, stating: “We weren’t doing it [recovering]. It’s since of how we practice, how we do things. The workload was too heavy.”

The injury situation became evident early in the season, with Flowers noting that by Week 5, seven Pro Bowl players were already on the injury list, including star quarterback Lamar Jackson, who dealt with persistent hamstring issues all season. This early wave of injuries set the tone for a campaign that saw Baltimore struggle to maintain consistency.

Despite Harbaugh’s departure after the 2025 season leaving him with a franchise-record 193 wins and a Super Bowl championship, the Ravens have moved forward under latest head coach Jesse Minter. Minter, who previously served as an assistant with the Ravens from 2017 to 2020 and later worked with Jim Harbaugh at the Los Angeles Chargers, has signaled a shift in philosophy regarding player workload and recovery.

According to Flowers, Minter has emphasized reducing physical strain in practice to ensure players are fresh for Sunday games, a change the receiver welcomed as a relief from the previous regime’s demands. This adjustment comes as the Ravens look to balance their traditional resilience with more modern approaches to player management and injury prevention.

The Ravens’ experience highlights an ongoing conversation in the NFL about balancing competitive preparation with player health and longevity. As the team enters the 2026 offseason, their approach to training camp and weekly practices will be closely watched for signs of how the new coaching staff implements these philosophical shifts.

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