The NFL announced this week that officials have been instructed to be more vigilant with taunting. Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh will likely stress that to his players, but there was at least once instance last season where he felt his opponent deserved to be disrespected.
Harbaugh was asked on Thursday about the NFL’s emphasis on taunting penalties. He brought up how his players stomped on the Tennessee Titans’ logo last season, and he said he wasn’t upset with them for that.
John Harbaugh said the Ravens have been generally good about not getting taunting penalties, which is a point of emphasis in the NFL this season.
"We did have the one against Tennessee [at the end of the playoff game," Harbaugh said. "I wasn't upset about that."
— Jamison Hensley (@jamisonhensley) August 12, 2021
Ravens players stomped and celebrated on the midfield logo at Nissan Stadium after they defeated the Titans in the playoffs last season. They were simply returning the favor after the Titans did something similar to them in their previous two meetings, which is why Harbaugh wasn’t bothered by it.
Titans players gathered on the Ravens’ midfield logo at M&T Bank Stadium prior to kickoff when the teams met during the regular season last year. That led to Harbaugh getting into it with Malcolm Butler (video here). Harbaugh then snubbed Tennessee coach Mike Vrabel and refused to shake his hand after the game. The Titans had pulled the same stunt before the two teams met in the playoffs two seasons ago.
Harbaugh and other coaches around the NFL will do what they can to make sure their players avoid taunting penalties this season. But when the Ravens play the Titans, all bet might be off.
