The practice plan for Super Bowl week was for the 49ers to use the Saints’ facilities, and the Ravens to use Tulane’s facilities. But it hasn’t quite worked out.
After the Ravens tried to make do Wednesday on a baseball field at Tulane (whose football facilities are going through construction renovations), the Ravens have worked out an arrangement to use the Saints’ facilities today. Although Ravens coach John Harbaugh praised the people at Tulane for doing their best as a host, he later confirmed that the baseball field simply isn’t working for the Ravens, and they’ll use the Saints’ facilities, too.
Ordinarily it wouldn’t work for both teams to share practice facilities, but John Harbaugh called his brother, 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh, and worked it out so that both teams could get some time on the Saints’ practice field.
“This wouldn’t have worked out if the coaches didn’t know each other,” John Harbaugh told ESPN’s Sal Paolantonio.
Some Ravens players said the turf at Tulane’s baseball field was too hard, and that the wide receivers and defensive backs felt it in their knees when running. So after the 49ers have cleared out of the Saints’ facility, the Ravens will take it over on Thursday afternoon.