By New Ravens Linebacker Elvis Dumervil: “I’m Definitely Coming In Here Proving a Point”
March 28, 2013 – 7:00 am by Eric Schmoldt
By now everybody knows the strange-but-true tale starring Elvis Dumervil, his agent, the Denver Broncos and a fax machine. Now that the dust has settled and Dumervil has landed in Baltimore, he says he’s got a point to prove.
Elvis Dumervil joined WNST in Baltimore with Glenn Clark to discuss his strange free agency situation, landing in Baltimore, bringing some veteran leadership to the Ravens, playing on a team full of Super Bowl champions and if he’s got a chip on his shoulder at this point.
What’s this whirlwind been like?:
“It’s been great, man. A couple things happened and just hit the floor running and everything started to move. It’s been pretty unpredictable, but it’s been fun. I’m proud to be a Raven.”
On despite the fax machine mishap, he’s still playing for the defending champs:
“Obviously the Broncos were a first-class organization and obviously I was able to get to a first-class organization here in Baltimore, so there’s not much complaining I can really do about it. … Things happen. It’s business. At the end of the day, I’m here, I’m proud to be with the guys.”
With this team losing a lot of veteran leadership, is that something you feel you can bring with you?:
“Yeah, I think it comes with the territory. I’ve done it in Denver. Like I said, I think Ray Lewis, what he’s done here and what he’s done for this city is tremendous. Along with that, he’s done a lot in the National Football League. So he’s well-respected; so is Ed Reed. … They’re good guys and I’m sure it’ll be very difficult to try to replace a Ray Lewis or Ed Reed, but that’s when other guys have to come up and be accountable and have their own presence felt and try to establish their own identity, and I guess a new era has to begin.”
Do you welcome the opportunity to carry on the legacy of the Ravens’ defense or do you put that out of mind?:
“Personally, I think it starts with defense and I think that’s mainly what attracted me here. … The stadium, when the defense is on the field, it’s loud and it’s rocking. So I think when you have a good defense, it’s gives you a chance to win championships, win games with the end result to win a championship. With defense, you want to keep that going. I wouldn’t want to change that.”
What’s it like to come to a locker room full of Super Bowl champions, and what do you think it will be like to keep the group hungry?:
“I haven’t won one, so I’m coming in hungry and I’m ready to get a ring. … I’m definitely motivated. And obviously guys who won it, they know what it takes, so that’s something they know more than I do. And I think Coach [Harbaugh], the way he carries himself, I highly doubt he’s going to allow guys to be lackadaisical or whatnot. I think it starts with the management up top.”
Not that you’re saying negative things about it, but does this situation leave you with a chip on your shoulder?:
“No ill will against the Broncos, but I think as a player, I’ve always played with a chip on my shoulder. But obviously things happened, and the way they happened, at the end of the day, it is what it is. I’m definitely coming in here proving a point. Obviously sometimes you’ve got to reassure yourself to make everybody else know who you are. … You just show why you are who you are. To answer that question, most definitely I’m looking forward to this season.”
Listen to Elvis Dumervil on WNST in Baltimore here
Tags: Baltimore Ravens, Denver Broncos, Elvis Dumervil, NFL, NFL free agency
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