The Baltimore Ravens have established one of the best cultures in all of the NFL over their brief franchise history. That culture has translated into plenty of on-field success, but what they’ve accomplished off of it is impressive as well.
During his end of season press conference, DeCosta talked about how he values the opinions of his players after being asked a question pertaining to how much influence quarterback Lamar Jackson has when it comes to some personnel decisions.
“I’m all ears. It’s all veteran players. I’m fortunate enough that guys will come in and say, ‘Hey, can I come upstairs and talk to you?’ They have opinions. They have situations. They have ideas. I even had a parent of a player reach out to me last week about a college player that they saw, who they like. (laughter) So, I’ve learned over the last 26 years that it’s good to listen to people and consider other ways of doing things. I think when you’re in a static position for a long time, that’s kind of when you start to falter. So, I appreciate the opinions of our players. I appreciate the opinions of our coaches [and] other people, and I think that’s what helps me look at all the various things to plot strategy and find out what’s best for the club.”
DeCosta’s approach is one that all NFL teams should use. The general manager has shown that he can put the right pieces in place to win a Super Bowl, but gathering input from players is a vital aspect of things, especially since they also have a good idea of what it takes to win.