Baltimore Ravens defender Marlon Humphrey admitted earlier this year that he only learnt about the infamous 1912 sinking of the Titanic ocean liner at age-26. That discovery likely helped the NFL star keep up with news this week of five people going missing underwater amid an attempted visit to the ship's crash site.
"Was today year old when I found out the Titanic was real….that’s wild lowkey," Humphrey wrote on Twitter.
Five tourists, including Britons, paid around £200,000 to OceanGate Expeditions for what should have been an eight-hour trip in Titan to view the Titanic shipwreck. On Thursday, rescuers continued attempts to track down the lost submarine and save the passengers, but oxygen in the small vessel may run out soon if it hasn't already.
The original Titanic tragedy has endured in popular culture for more than a century and was the subject of a hit 1997 film starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. It was the highest-grossing movie of all time for almost 13 years after its release. So, this week's lost submarine has captured the attention of people around the world.
Humphrey maintains an active social media presence, often sharing his day—to-day thoughts while interacting with Ravens fans and teammates. Occasionally, his posts land him in hot water, such as when he sent a cryptic tweet last year following a defeat to the New York Giants seeming to criticise the coaching staff.
“PR sent it to me," head coach John Harbaugh told reporters afterward. "But I looked at it and went, 'I’m sure if he wants me to understand it, he will.' But we’ve given up leads in the fourth quarter in three different games. That’s not something that I’ve ever experienced, and that’s something that keeps happening. We’ve got to get it fixed.”
Humphrey is a star player on the field, helping lead Baltimore's vaunted defence. The Alabama-born corner back has intercepted 12 passes in his career, including three last season. He's also forced 13 fumbles.
The Ravens posted a 10-7 record in 2022 as a looming contract dispute with quarterback Lamar Jackson hung over them. They’ve since re-signed Jackson and added wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. to shore up their passing game.
Those moves have restored locker room stability for a franchise hoping to return to form after a meek playoff exit against the Cincinnati Bengals.
"I thank God, man. It's a lot of stress and relief," tight end Mark Andrews said of Jackson signing a new contract. "Obviously, I've been with Lamar since Day 1 and there was a lot of uncertainty. I think it is going to be a dangerous offense. The sky is the limit. ... I want to win a Super Bowl. That's number one. I think this city, this place, this organization deserves that. It's time for us to make that step."
Humphrey is similarly optimistic about Baltimore's chances of making a deep playoff run this upcoming season, having enjoyed watching the latest roster come together.
“We’ve got the pieces,” Humphrey said. “It’s just putting them together, working together, figuring out how it works. Putting out a product.
"It’s really easy to talk about all the great receivers we’ve got, all the great running backs, all the great DBs, the good D-line. But I think this is a year of just proving it.”
