It's been two months since the Baltimore Ravens took it on the chin in the worst way against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 18, with an AFC North division title and playoff spot on the line.
The Ravens lost the game with a missed 44-yard field goal by kicker Tyler Loop that sent the team packing home with an 8-9 record to end the year. Former Ravens wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins shared his thoughts on the locker room after that game when asked.
"That was probably the hottest I have seen the locker room," Hopkins said. "Derrick (Henry) and I were just looking at each other like, 'Did that really just happen?' I didn't think it was real for a second. I thought I was still dreaming like, 'There ain't no way he missed it,' but you know he human. It was hot, though. It shouldn't even have gotten down to depending on him to make a 40-yarder. We failed as an offense. We should have ran the ball with Derrick like as offensive players. I ain't going to say it was the offense, but as players, we felt like we should have just kept handing off the ball to Derrick and let him try to go score."
DeAndre Hopkins still thinking about Ravens' season-ending loss
Hopkins went through it all last season in his only year with the team, as he struggled with 22 receptions for 330 yards and two touchdowns. He is currently a free agent, with Baltimore showing no interest in bringing him back.
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images
The 2025 season, in general, was very forgettable for the Ravens, as they had a lot of drama on the team to deal with. They dealt with multiple injuries early in the season and had a locker room controversy when Lamar Jackson removed items to get the team focused on winning again.
While the Ravens did a great job of getting themselves to the point of making the playoffs after a 1-5 start, they still fell short of expectations. That resulted in former head coach John Harbaugh getting fired and replaced with Jesse Minter to reset the franchise to where they need to be.
Expectations for 2026 have certainly changed for the Ravens, as they are now looking to be Super Bowl contenders again, with the memories of 2025 behind them. What happened on that horrendous day will live within the players, but it might have helped the franchise be in a position they needed to with change happening at head coach.
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