The Baltimore Ravens brought back one of their most effective pass rushers from 2023, defensive lineman Justin Madubuike. He tallied 13 sacks in a contract year, which he parlayed into a four-year, $98 million contract extension.
Over the course of his four NFL seasons, Madubuike has learned a lot about himself as a player and has had the support of many incredible coaches on Baltimore’s staff. One of them is outside linebackers coach Chuck Smith, whom Madubuike made sure to shout out and share the impact that the former player has had on his development.
“For him to be on the staff now, it’s like free teaching every day. But just the person that Chuck [Smith] is – very open, very honest in terms of technique and pass rush stuff. He just helped not only me, but I know a bunch of my teammates just get more crisp and more trim in terms of pass rush. He’s really good at what he does. I’ve worked with him for the past two years, and I feel like my game has evolved as soon as I start tapping [in when] I’ve been with him in training. So, yes, [he’s] a very big influence for sure.”
Smith is entering his second season with the Ravens and has left a profound mark on some of Baltimore’s young pass rushers, including Madubuike. The NFL veteran turned coach has found success as a teacher in life after playing, and players like Madubuike understand that it’s essential to be a sponge around him and soak up as much knowledge as possible.
