Greg Mattison walked around the hallways of the Ravens’ training facility giving everyone a farewell handshake Wednesday.
The former Ravens defensive coordinator, who has accepted the same position at the University of Michigan, got a heartfelt goodbye from his coaching peers as well.
“Greg Mattison, I thought did a great job the past two years as the defensive coordinator, and before that as a linebacker coach,” Head Coach John Harbaugh said. “Greg was just a tremendous asset and huge part of the accomplishments that we’ve had. [He] had great relationships with the players. You know, we love Greg Mattison.”
Under Mattison’s guidance, the Ravens’ defense finished third in the NFL in total yardage allowed in 2009 and 10th in 2010. It finished third in points allowed per game both seasons.
“It was unbelievable,” Mattison said of his three-year stint in Baltimore. “The people who run this organization, the coaches, the players, they can’t be like this anywhere else. I was spoiled here.”
The man who replaced Mattison, Chuck Pagano, said Mattison’s choice to move closer to his family in Michgan “speaks volumes.”
Pagano and Mattison talked about the strain coaching can put on a family. Pagano said coaches pick up their briefcases and a couple sport coats when changing jobs, recruiting or simply traveling for games and the families “get left behind.”
Partners are often left to sell the house or stay with the kids as they finish school or whatnot. Pagano said he admires Mattison even more today because he’s going to “give something back to them for all these years of support.”
“It’s obviously kind of a bittersweet day for me,” Pagano said. “Bitter in the fact that [I'm] losing a great friend and a mentor in Greg Mattison.”