Linebacker and special teamer Jake Hummel changed the trajectory of the Ravens’ game against the Browns on Sept. 14 by blocking a punt … with his newborn son Hudson on hand for the first time.
Hudson is too young to remember or even watch the game, but Hummel and his family decided to take many pictures and remember the moment, even saving the ball from the blocked punt.
“It was just a really cool day,” Hummel said on Glenn Clark Radio Sept. 16. “Good way to start the year.”
With the Ravens ahead, 3-0, early in the second quarter, Hummel blocked a punt by Corey Bojorquez to give Baltimore’s offense a short field. Two plays later, the Ravens scored a touchdown to go up 10-0 en route to a 41-17 win.
“I’m happy to help the team win any way I can,” Hummel said. “That’s the kind of mentality I had, especially starting last year, just going into each game, preparing, finding a way that I could impact that game.”
This is the 26-year-old’s first season with the Ravens. Hummel played for the Rams for three seasons until he signed a one-year contract with the Ravens in the offseason. He played in every game for the Los Angeles Rams in 2024 and made eight special teams tackles.
“My ability to block that punt draws more attention to me and opens up some lanes for some of the other guys later on this year to have a chance,” Hummel said.
Hummel said he saw a chance for a blocked punt after a missed opportunity early in the game. After talking to special teams coordinator Chris Horton, they decided to make an adjustment.
“It’s what got me into the NFL in the first place,” Hummel said of special teams. “When I was brought into the Rams as an undrafted rookie, that’s why they brought me in. So I take a lot of pride in special teams.”
The 6-foot-1, 235-pound linebacker has been a productive special teamer since his time at Iowa State. Hummel knew the fastest way to get on the field as a freshman was to prove to his coaches that he could play special teams.
“We had a good special teams coordinator, Joe Houston, who let you know, he kind of emphasized that to us freshmen. I was one of the guys who listened,” Hummel said about starting out in college. “He pleaded my case to the head coaching staff to get me on the field early, even if it meant limited reps on special teams.”
Hummel recognized that special teams would get his foot in the door to prove his worth as a football player. He earns new teams’ trust by his plays on special teams. He often gives advice to undrafted players who have never played any special teams to help them learn faster.
“A lot of times those guys will come to me asking for tips and just different ways I can help them to quickly get better at teams,” Hummel said, “because they understand that that’s how they also can get on the field and how they can earn their spot on a team even as an undrafted guy.”
For more from Hummel, listen to the full interview here:
Photo Credit: Colin Murphy/PressBox