OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Is Mike Wallace a diva? The Baltimore Ravens wide receiver joked that it depends on the time of the day.
Does he harbor any hard feelings in going back to Minnesota on Sunday? Not according to Wallace.
"It's my second year here. That's the kind of stuff you go through like your first year you go somewhere," Wallace said. "I don't care. I don't have no problems with those guys. I had great teammates, great coaches when I was there. The situation just didn't work out. Sometimes it goes like that."
Despite a back injury that sidelined him for Thursday's practice, Wallace expects to play his first game in Minnesota since he was cut by the Vikings 19 months ago. It's a return to the low point of his nine-year career.
In 2015, his only season with the Vikings, Wallace tied a career low with 39 catches and set personal worsts in receiving yards (473) and touchdowns (two). He was considered a loyal soldier in Minnesota even as he expressed private frustrations about his role in the offense. Protection problems didn't allow for many downfield throws, and quarterback Teddy Bridgewater missed Wallace on several deep shots.
The Vikings didn't get the production they expected in trading a fifth-round pick for Wallace, but it doesn't sound like this was a bitter divorce.
“I really loved Mike Wallace," Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said this week. "He worked really hard; he was a great kid. He obviously didn’t get the catches that he wanted to get, but he worked hard every day, was a good team guy in the locker room, and he was a good guy. I mean, everything about him was good. I couldn’t say any bad words about him."
Wallace, 31, heads back to Minnesota looking to get his season back on track. Through six games, he has 15 catches for 239 yards receiving and one touchdown.
It was a few weeks ago when Wallace playfully made the point that he wanted more passes his way. He repeatedly told reporters that he "needs the rock."
Does Wallace's teammates consider him a diva?
"He is not one of those real [divas], like the ones you hear about back in the day, the Michael Irvins," cornerback Jimmy Smith said. "But he’s definitely diva-ish."
On Thursday, Wallace didn't back down from his campaign to get the ball more. He's on pace for 72 targeted passes this season, which would equal the amount of throws he saw in Minnesota.
If there's one stat that supports Wallace's vocal desire to see more passes, it's this one: There are 78 players who've been targeted more this season than Wallace.
"I play a position where that's what you do: You get the ball [and] you make plays," Wallace said. "That's anybody in the league. I don't care if you find the nicest wide receiver in the league. If he's not getting the ball, he's going to get upset and frustrated."
Quarterback Joe Flacco, whose locker is next to Wallace's, thinks it's in a wide receiver's makeup to have that mindset.
"Mike’s a great, great locker-room guy," Flacco said. "Any of that stuff, in terms of being a diva -- no, not at all. Mike’s great; he’s a ton of fun. He’s out here [at practice] catching touchdowns, throwing the ball up against the pads over there. That’s just who he is; it’s how he gets himself going. We love it. So no, I love Mike, and the opinion that I formed of him has been nothing but good."
Wallace had fun with reporters when asked if he was a diva.
"It probably depends on how I'm feeling at the time. I might feel like a diva at 2:45 [p.m.]," Wallace said while taking a glance at the clock. "Who knows? It's 2:41 [p.m.] right now. You got four minutes. I might feel differently. You never know."