On Thursday morning, fans lined up outside Lambeau Field in anticipation of the Green Bay Packers and Baltimore Ravens joint practice, which was scheduled to begin across the street.
And yes, the kids brought their bikes.
Unless you’re a cheesehead, you may not know that when the Packers open their practices to the public, fans usually wait until the team comes out of the locker room. And for years, kids have been bringing their bikes so players and coaches can ride to the nearby practice field.
The children run or jog with the cyclist. And maybe they get an autograph or a chat with the player who borrowed the bike.
GREEN BAY, Wis. — Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFluer rides a bike with a fan during the Packers’ training camp at Ray Nitschke Field on July 26, 2023. (Photo by Larry Radloff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The Green Bay Packers’ cycling tradition lives on
Even Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur joined in the fun.
“These open practices are a pretty cool experience for our guys,” LaFleur said Thursday morning. “We talked about it this morning at the team meeting, just in terms of the tradition with the kids, riding bikes, what a great experience this is for these kids and how unforgettable it’s going to be for them. And just don’t take it for granted.”
LaFleur did not speak to Ravens coach John Harbaugh about the tradition. But the Packers staff informed the Ravens staff about the tradition and the possibility that some fans would like to offer their players bicycles to ride to the field.
And indeed, some fans were queuing with their bicycles in front of Baltimore’s locker room.
Ravens join a great tradition
And the Ravens players have embraced this tradition.
We don’t mean that some got on bikes and others walked. We mean that many Baltimore players got on the bikes that were offered to them.
There was one exception: Baltimore guard Ben Cleveland. He is 6’6″ tall and weighs 350 pounds. He did not get on a child’s bike.
Cleveland accepted a scooter from a boy instead. And the two walked together to the practice area. The boy walked and Cleveland slowly pedaled with one foot, since the other foot barely fit on the deck of the scooter.
While the players were choosing their bikes, signing autographs and generally chatting with the fans, a small traffic jam occurred at some point.
This really seems to be an enriching experience for everyone.
Kids get up close and personal with their heroes. Players have the chance to return to their childhood, when many still rode their bikes to Pop Warner or to high school practice.
Breathtaking moment for the Ravens
But …
There was a moment that would have made Ravens fans faint if they had been there.
Just as he had overtaken most of the crowd on a sleek black bike, quarterback Lamar Jackson decided it would be cool to ride along while also intercepting people on the side of the road.
And for a moment he lost control of the bike.
If the Ravens had a post-practice bike film session, Harbaugh would probably need oxygen.
Here’s another view of the moment from behind. Yes, this is sort of the all-22 film of Lamar’s bike moment.
Strange injuries happen in the NFL
Fortunately for the Ravens, their star quarterback and elite athlete recovered before anything catastrophic happened.
And the people out there who are dismissing this and saying that nothing could have happened to Jackson if he had fallen off his bike simply don’t know anything about NFL history. Or life.
In 2003, Miami Dolphins defensive end David Bowens tore his ACL while changing a lightbulb.
A Jacksonville kicker nearly broke his leg while playing with an axe in 2011.
And the Ravens are no stranger to bizarre injuries. In 2010, the team signed linebacker Sergio Kindle, but he missed his rookie season after falling down a flight of stairs.
He suffered a skull fracture.
Bicycle crisis averted
Jackson, by the way, has a bit of an injury history. And if he’s injured, the Ravens are finished.
Thus, the crisis was averted and Lamar Jackson was able to regain his balance and prevent himself from potentially ruining the Ravens’ season.
