Sunday is the first time that Baltimore has hosted an AFC Championship game since 1970 when the city’s team was known as Colts.
Fans are supercharged and Baltimore and the surrounding neighborhoods are lighting up buildings in purple to show Ravens pride.
One of these fans is none other than Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, who’s been known to and seen cheering on the Ravens. Moore joined WTOP anchors Anne Kramer and Shawn Anderson Friday.
Read and listen to their conversation below.
This transcript has been lightly edited for clarity.
Shawn Anderson: Gov. Moore, thank you so much for joining us here on WTOP.
Wes Moore: Thank you so much. And happy purple Friday.
Shawn Anderson: Absolutely. Give us an idea. There’s so much excitement and energy around this huge game, not just for the city of Baltimore, but the whole area. It’s seeped down here into the Washington area. How does something like an AFC Championship Game at M&T, expected to be watched by millions, help boost the city and the state on the national stage?
Wes Moore: Well, I mean, this is huge. And it’s not just huge economically, what it’s going to mean when we have people who are downtown and flooding into Baltimore to watch this team play. It’s also huge psychologically, you know, you’re watching the success that the Ravens continue to show for this the most complete team in football. It’s the most exciting team in football. And it’s just once again showing that in Maryland, you know, we’re producing winners here. And so watching what they’re doing this year, and what they’re going to do on Sunday is thrilling not just for Baltimoreans. But frankly, for everyone in the state.
Anne Kramer: Governor, it is amazing. And I think you might agree with this. And I’d like to know what you think it is about football, even postseason football, that unites people when we seem to be so divided these days as a country on so many fronts right now.
Wes Moore: It’s one of the beautiful things about the sport, right is that you watch people who are coming from different backgrounds, different political ideologies, different income levels, who all will come together and cheer and root for the same thing. Well, we’re all coming together and saying, I want to watch you know, the MVP Lamar Jackson put on a great game, I want to watch the NFL’s best defense completely put a stop on Patrick Mahomes. This is a way for giving us something to distract us from the every day, from the divisiveness and say, we all have a chance to unite around this. And so watching what the Ravens have done, watching what football has the capacity in sports has the capacity to do, and it has a chance to bring people together who might not have had an opportunity to get to know each other. And I think that’s what we’re seeing here with his Baltimore Ravens playoff run.
Shawn Anderson: One of the great things to be able to talk to you as you’re more than just a casual football fan, you are really into the NFL and obviously into the Ravens. Talk a little bit about what was the thing that excited you most about this great run the Ravens had this season.
Wes Moore: I tell folks like I’m not, I am not a part time fan. Like, this is my thing. I look at these days, like I’m watching, like I’m looking at game film, myself. I played college football. I love this sport. And I love this team. And the thing I love about them is that they were just built the right way. You know, we got a coach who was literally a special teams coach, and has turned himself into one of the best coaches, not just in the NFL now, but arguably, especially if they can win the championship, just a top coach in NFL history in John Harbaugh, that we have a quarterback who many people passed over because they said, you know, he’s not an NFL quarterback. They were trying to make him a running back. And now he’s about to win his second MVP. And that’s Lamar Jackson, that we have a team that is drafted so well. And so this team is well constructed. This team plays hard, they play together, they play aggressive, and they and they play hungry. And so I love this team, not just for what they’re doing for Baltimore, what they’re doing for Maryland, but as a football fan. I love watching these guys play.
Anne Kramer: How about this fun wager that you have with the governor of Kansas? Tell us about this?
Wes Moore: Gov. Kelly’s one of the biggest Chiefs fans that I know. I mean, I remember the first time I met her, she was talking about her Chiefs and I continue hearing her talk about it. So, as her Chiefs now are coming to Baltimore, I’m excited to reach out and put out a wager to her and let her know that while we’re saying that, you know we’re going by Crust by Mack, which is an extraordinary place in Baltimore that has some great crab pies. While that is the bet that we’ve that we put forward I do not expect to be sending any crab pies over to my friend, Gov. Kelly, because she’s going to be sending me some amazing Midwest delicacies that I’m looking forward to eating.
Shawn Anderson: Gov. Moore, you can come back to WTOP and talk to us anytime we appreciate it and stuff other than football, too.
Wes Moore: I would love it. I so appreciate everything you’re doing and go Ravens.
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