Two Ravens assistants will coach in next month’s East-West Shrine Bowl, a showcase for NFL draft prospects.
Ravens defensive backs coach D’Anton Lynn will serve as head coach of the East team in the Feb. 3 game, organizers announced Wednesday, while Ravens outside linebackers coach Drew Wilkins will be the East’s defensive coordinator.
Lynn, the son of former Los Angeles Chargers coach and Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn, worked on the Houston Texans’ staff from 2018 to 2020 before arriving in Baltimore last offseason. Wilkins, who started as a Ravens intern in 2010 before climbing the team’s coaching ladder, coached in the East-West Shrine Bowl from 2017 to 2019, and served as the West team’s defensive coordinator in 2019.
According to the Shrine Bowl, more than 100 players from last year’s game signed with professional teams last spring, and more than 70 made final NFL rosters last season. An average of over 300 Shrine Bowl alumni are on NFL rosters each year. Maryland tight end Chigoziem Okonkwo and Navy linebacker Diego Fagot are among those who’ve accepted invitations to the game, which will be held in Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium.
Johnson honored
Former Ravens outside linebacker Jarret Johnson, who played in Baltimore from 2003 to 2011, has been named a finalist for the Salute to Service Award, along with Chicago Bears tight end Jimmy Graham and Denver Broncos fullback-tight end Andrew Beck.
Johnson, who retired from the NFL in 2015, recently partnered with a service-disabled Air Force veteran to start a Black Rifle Coffee franchise in Niceville, Florida, that employs over 40 veterans, active-duty servicemen and women, veterans’ spouses and children of military members. Johnson also sponsors SOF Missions, a nonprofit that provides care to veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injuries, with with the goal of ending veteran suicide.
Johnson also organized, sponsored and participated in “The Murph Crossfit Exercise” on Memorial Day last May, which had over 300 participants and raised nearly $15,000 for the EOD Warrior Foundation and Pipe Hitter Foundation. Former Ravens Haloti Ngata and Marshal Yanda were among the former NFL players who participated in the event.
The Salute to Service Award recipient will be recognized on Feb. 10 at the NFL Honors ceremony. USAA will contribute $25,000 in the winner’s honor to the official aid societies representing each of the military branches, while the NFL will match USAA’s donation with a grant to the winner’s military charity of choice.
