Ravens coach John Harbaugh said he wants right guard Marshal Yanda to return in 2020 for a 14th NFL season, amid speculation the All-Pro lineman may retire.
“I talked to him after the game, that’s it,” Harbaugh said Friday at his season-ending news conference. “Marshal made it pretty clear, I think, that he’s going to think about things, you know, going forward. What a year. One of the things about being at the level he’s at and being at the stage of career he’s at when you’re a Hall of Fame type of guy and you’re a lineman, it’s really important to finish strong in your career, to play Hall of Fame football at the end. Because that’s when everybody’s watching. And he’s doing that.”
Following Saturday’s season-ending loss to the Tennessee Titans, Yanda declined to comment on questions regarding his retirement plans, saying he would address it at a later time.
Yanda, 35, signed a two-year contract extension in April 2019 but throughout the season had refused to commit to returning for another season. At the team’s locker room cleanouts on Sunday, left guard Bradley Bozeman said he wanted Yanda to return, joking that his fellow offensive linemen started recruiting Yanda back in the fall.
“I’m all for him playing Hall of Fame football for another year if he so chooses,” Harbaugh said. “I did tell him that and let him know that. We had a good hug and stuff. But he’ll do what’s right for him and his family, and whatever he does, we’ll respect it. I just couldn’t say enough good things, great things, about Marshal Yanda and his family.”