Ravens HC John Harbaugh addresses tweet of frustrated WR Marquise Brown

Following his team’s 28-24 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, Baltimore Ravens’ second-year wide receiver Marquise ‘Hollywood’ Brown took to Twitter to voice his frustrations about his lack of involvement in the passing game in a passive-aggressive tweet that he later took down at the request of Head Coach John Harbaugh.

The tweet read, “What’s the point of having souljas when you never use them (Never!!).”

Brown was targeted just twice in the game with one of them being a three-yard touchdown. His only other target came on the play before his touchdown reception where he almost came up with amazing reception in the back of the end zone that was called incomplete. Harbaugh unsuccessfully challenged the original ruling but Brown still ended up hauling in the score on the next play.

Harbaugh reached out to the team’s leading receiver on the season and most dangerous deep threat in the passing game via text about the tweet and his frustrations and commended him on doing the other aspects of the game at a high level.

“I haven’t talked to him about it yet,” Harbaugh said. “I did text him about it. He took it down. I’ll just leave it at that for now and see where it goes. I’ll tell you this: he did play the game like a soldier. He was fighting very hard out there. Blocking and running routes. Had a big touchdown catch, almost another one right before that. I like the way he was fighting.

“I don’t disagree with the fact he’s saying he’s a soldier. I promise you we’re trying to use all of our guys. He knows that. He was probably a little frustrated. He’s not a selfish guy. I don’t believe he is one for one second. If he was, he wouldn’t play as hard as he did or be the good guy he is around the building every single day. So I have a lot of trust in him. The fact that he took it down, I appreciated that.”

Opposing defenses have begun to roll more coverage towards Brown and Pro tight end Mark Andrews in recent weeks because they know that quarterback Lamar Jackson tends to look their way early and often in games this year.

The extra attention devoted towards Jackson’s favorite targets has opened up more wide-open looks in zone coverages and one-on-one opportunities in man coverage for the Ravens other receivers.

On Sunday some of the other receivers were able to make an impact as pass catchers albeit at Brown’s expense.

Veteran Willie Snead had his best game since joining the Ravens in 2018 with a team-leading and game-high 106 yards on five catches on seven targets.

Brown’s fellow second-year wideout Miles Boykin caught two of his three targets for 20 yards including his first touchdown of the year.

Rookie Devin Duvernay recorded the longest play from scrimmage from either team by hauling one of his three targets for 39 yards on his only catch of the game.

Winning cures all woes and had the Ravens won their first matchup with their arch division rivals of the season, maybe Brown wouldn’t have taken to social media to vent about the lack of balls thrown his way because he would’ve been too busy celebrating instead of sulking about how he could’ve prevented a different outcome had he been more involved n the passing attack.

As the Ravens strive to find more balance and consistency on offense, there will be some weeks that some players are featured more than others in both the passing and running game respectively.

If Baltimore can get back to and keep up their winning ways, perhaps there won’t be many complaints about targets from any pass-catcher going forward.