Ravens fans surely remember Earl Thomas, the Super Bowl-winning safety who joined the team from the Seattle Seahawks in 2019 on a four-year $55-million deal. However, the memories associated with the 35-year-old star would surely be bittersweet. Although he had a Pro Bowl call-up-worthy first season at the M&T stadium, his stay was short-lived due to his ‘un-coachable’ nature. However, after almost four years since parting ways, the ex-safety has sent a personal message to HC John Harbaugh, demanding a Ravens legend-like treatment.

In the first episode of the podcast “The Exhibit”, the 7x Pro Bowl winner mentioned HC Harbaugh to be a proud man and said that he earns his respect whenever they meet on the field. Thomas then went on to mention that like ex-Ravens Safety Ed Reed and LB Ray Lewis, he too wants his no.29 jersey around the stands. He further added that although his time at Baltimore ended on a bitter note, you do “see fights all the time in training camp, so they will understand.”

Thomas leaving Ravens, or better to say, Thomas being forced to leave Ravens was indeed because of one such fight. Just a month before the start of the new season, in August 2020, the ex-Super Bowl winner was caught up in an altercation with fellow teammate Chucky Clark after the 35-year-old missed a coverage which in turn allowed Mark Andrews to score a long touchdown. Both the safeties exchanged punches and Thomas was sent home and was later advised not to come in for training on the next day. Following this, the Ravens decided to release him the next day on the grounds of “personal conduct that has adversely affected the Baltimore Ravens.”

Now, after all these years, a disgracefully released star asking for the same respect from the team as that of a team legend, doesn’t this sound too big of an ask? Well, maybe, or maybe this is just another “time heals all wounds” moment between both the parties, as Thomas did have a good time at Baltimore, while it lasted. But will John Harbaugh and the team keep his demand? Or will they put it down smoothly as they did to Thomas’ services all those years ago, giving player and team conduct the utmost importance? All we can do is wait and see what happens next.

Earl Thomas reflects on his relationship with ex-HC Pete Carroll after 2018’s spat

If you think fighting with your teammate at a training session is extreme, meet the player who showed the middle finger to your HC and your teammates, Earl Thomas. Things started getting heated up in early 2018 when Thomas threatened to hold on Seahawks if they didn’t renegotiate his contract.

However, with just almost a week left for the start of the season, the 7x Pro Bowler safety rejoined the team and was activated on the roster. But things went out of the Seahawks’ hands during their week 4 clash against the Arizona Cardinals when he showed his middle finger to his team’s bench while being carted off after suffering a broken leg. This was the last time he was seen in a Seahawks jersey as after the injury he was moved to injured reserve, before joining the Ravens next season.

However, now after almost six years, it seems that the internal conflict between the Safety and his former HC Pete Carroll over the middle finger incident has cooled off. In an episode of the podcast “The Exhibit“, Thomas said that it’s been years since that incident and now it’s all over. The 35-year-old then referred to an interview where he saw Coach Carroll and his ex-teammate KJ Wright, where, when they talked about Earl Thompson, Carroll said, “Earl was a great practice player, we took a lot of things too far“. While explaining the ‘too far’ part of coach Carroll’s comment on him, “You know our will and our want to win and you everybody knows a lot of stuff goes into that“.

Well, from Thomas’ end, it seems all is forgiven, but is it the same from the other side too? That’s the real question. After his untimely departure from the Ravens and a gap of almost 4 years, he is all for a fresh start as he looks to start his coaching career and has kept his doors open for returning to one of his former sides. But if in case suitable opportunities arise in either of his former teams, will they be ready to forget the old wounds and join hands again? That’s surely up for debate.