Baltimore Ravens

Last updated

Baltimore Ravens
AmericanFootball current event.svg Current season
Established February 9, 1996;28 years ago (1996-02-09) [1] [2]
First season: 1996
Play in M&T Bank Stadium
Baltimore, Maryland
Headquartered in Owings Mills, Maryland [3]
Baltimore Ravens logo Baltimore Ravens logo.svg
Baltimore Ravens logo
Baltimore Ravens wordmark Baltimore Ravens wordmark.svg
Baltimore Ravens wordmark
LogoWordmark
League/conference affiliations

National Football League (1996 present)

Current uniform
Baltimore ravens uniforms.png
Team colorsPurple, black, metallic gold [4] [5]
   
Fight song "The Baltimore Fight Song" [6]
Mascot Poe (costumed mascot)
Rise and Conquer (live ravens) [7]
Personnel
Owner(s) Steve Bisciotti [8]
President Sashi Brown
General manager Eric DeCosta
Head coach John Harbaugh
Team history
  • Baltimore Ravens (1996present)
Championships
League championships (2)
Conference championships (2)
Division championships (7)
Playoff appearances (15)
Home fields

The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The team plays its home games at M&T Bank Stadium and is headquartered in Owings Mills, Maryland. [9]

Contents

The Baltimore Ravens were established in 1996 after Art Modell, then owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced plans in 1995 to relocate the franchise from Cleveland to Baltimore. [10] As part of a settlement between the league and the city of Cleveland, Modell was required to leave the Browns' history, team colors, and records in Cleveland for a replacement team and replacement personnel that would resume play in 1999. In return, he was allowed to take his own personnel and team to Baltimore, where such personnel would form an expansion team. The team is now owned by Steve Bisciotti and valued at $2.98 billion, making the Ravens the 33rd-most valuable sports franchise in the world as of 2021. [11]

The Ravens have been one of the most successful NFL franchises since their inception, compiling a regular season record of 256–194–1 (.569), the third-highest among active franchises. [12] They also own the fourth-highest playoff winning percentage at 17–13 (.567). [12] The team has qualified for the NFL playoffs 15 times since 2000 with two Super Bowl titles (Super Bowl XXXV and Super Bowl XLVII), two AFC Championship titles (2000 and 2012), five AFC Championship game appearances (2000, 2008, 2011, 2012, and 2023), and seven AFC North division titles (2003, 2006, 2011, 2012, 2018, 2019, and 2023). They are one of two teams to be undefeated in multiple Super Bowl appearances, along with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Ravens organization was led by general manager Ozzie Newsome from 1996 until his retirement following the 2018 season, and has had three head coaches: Ted Marchibroda, Brian Billick, and since 2008, John Harbaugh. Starting with a record-breaking defensive performance in their 2000 season, the Ravens have established a reputation for strong defensive play throughout team history. Former players such as middle linebacker Ray Lewis, safety Ed Reed, and offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden have been enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

History

Team name

The name "Ravens" was inspired by Edgar Allan Poe's poem The Raven . [4] [13] Chosen in a fan contest that drew 33,288 voters, the allusion honors Poe who spent the early part of his career in Baltimore and is buried there. [14] As The Baltimore Sun reported at the time, fans also "liked the tie-in with the other birds in town, the Orioles, and found it easy to visualize a tough, menacing black bird". [15] Edgar Allan Poe also had distant relatives who played football for the Princeton Tigers in the 1880s through the early 1900s. These brothers were famous players in the early days of American football.

Before the football team, there was the Baltimore Ravens wheelchair basketball team — the original Baltimore Ravens. [16] In 1972, the Ravens wheelchair basketball team was founded by Ralph Smith, long-term resident of Baltimore, second Vice President of the National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA) and Member of the NWBA Hall of Fame. [17] The name "Ravens" was inspired by Bob Ardinger, a member of the Ravens wheelchair basketball team. In the 1990s, the naming rights were later sold to the football team when they came to the city and the wheelchair basketball team became known as the Maryland Ravens.

Background

After the controversial 1984 relocation of the Colts to Indianapolis, several attempts were made to bring an NFL team back to Baltimore. In 1993, ahead of the 1995 league expansion, the city was considered a favorite, behind only St. Louis, to be granted one of two new franchises. [18] League officials and team owners feared litigation due to conflicts between rival bidding groups if St. Louis was awarded a franchise. In October Charlotte, North Carolina was the first city chosen. Several weeks later, Baltimore's bid for a franchise—dubbed the Baltimore Bombers, in honor of the locally produced Martin B-26 Marauder bomber—had three ownership groups in place [18] and a state financial package which included a proposed $200 million, rent-free stadium and permission to charge up to $80 million in personal seat license fees. [19] [20] Baltimore, however, was unexpectedly passed over in favor of Jacksonville, Florida, despite Jacksonville's minor TV market status and that the city had withdrawn from contention in the summer, only to return with then-Commissioner Paul Tagliabue's urging. [18] Although league officials denied that any city had been favored, it was reported that Tagliabue and his longtime friend Washington Redskins owner Jack Kent Cooke had lobbied against Baltimore due to its proximity to Washington, D.C., [18] [20] [21] and that Tagliabue had used the initial committee voting system to prevent the entire league ownership from voting on Baltimore's bid. [22] This led to public outrage and The Baltimore Sun describing Tagliabue as having an "Anybody But Baltimore" policy. [22] Maryland governor William Donald Schaefer said afterward that Tagliabue had led him on, praising Baltimore and the proposed owners while working behind-the-scenes to oppose Baltimore's bid. [22]

By May 1994, Baltimore Orioles owner Peter Angelos had gathered a new group of investors, including author Tom Clancy, to bid on teams whose owners had expressed interest in relocating. [23] Angelos found a potential partner in Georgia Frontiere, who was open to moving the Los Angeles Rams to Baltimore. Jack Kent Cooke opposed the move, intending to build the Redskins' new stadium in Laurel, Maryland, close enough to Baltimore to cool outside interest in bringing in a new franchise. [24] This led to heated arguments between Cooke and Angelos, who accused Cooke of being a "carpetbagger." [23] The league eventually persuaded Rams team president John Shaw to relocate to St. Louis instead, leading to a league-wide rumor that Tagliabue was again steering interest away from Baltimore, a claim which Tagliabue denied. [25] In response to anger in Baltimore, including Governor Schaefer's threat to announce over the loudspeakers Tagliabue's exact location in Camden Yards any time he attended a Baltimore Orioles game, [26] Tagliabue remarked of Baltimore's financial package: "Maybe (Baltimore) can open another museum with that money." [20] Following this, Angelos made an unsuccessful $200 million bid to bring the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to Baltimore. [27]

Having failed to obtain a franchise via the expansion, the city, despite having "misgivings," [20] turned to the possibility of obtaining the Cleveland Browns, whose owner Art Modell was financially struggling and at odds with the city of Cleveland over needed improvements to the team's stadium.

Return of American football in Baltimore

Enticed by Baltimore's available funds for a first-class stadium and a promised yearly operating subsidy of $25 million, Modell announced on November 6, 1995, his intention to relocate the team from Cleveland to Baltimore the following year. The resulting controversy ended when representatives of Cleveland and the NFL reached a settlement on February 8, 1996. Tagliabue promised the city of Cleveland that an NFL team would be located in Cleveland, either through relocation or expansion, "no later than 1999". [28] Additionally, the agreement stipulated that the Browns' name, colors, uniform design and franchise records would remain in Cleveland. The franchise history includes Browns club records and connections with Pro Football Hall of Fame players. Modell's Baltimore team, while retaining all current player contracts, would, for purposes of team history, appear as an expansion team, a new franchise. [29] Not all players, staff or front office would make the move to Baltimore, however.

Art Modell moved the Browns to Baltimore and remained the owner of the Ravens through 2003. 1980-modell-browns.jpg
Art Modell moved the Browns to Baltimore and remained the owner of the Ravens through 2003.

After relocation, Modell hired Ted Marchibroda as the head coach for his new team in Baltimore. Marchibroda was already well known because of his work as head coach of the Baltimore Colts during the 1970s and the Indianapolis Colts during the early 1990s. Ozzie Newsome, the Browns' tight end for many seasons, joined Modell in Baltimore as director of football operations. He was later promoted to vice-president/general manager.

The home stadium for the Ravens first two seasons was Baltimore's Memorial Stadium, previously home to the Baltimore Colts, the Baltimore Orioles, and the Canadian Football League’s Baltimore Stallions. The Ravens moved to their own new stadium, now known as M&T Bank Stadium, next to Camden Yards in 1998.

The early years and Ted Marchibroda era (1996–1998)

In the 1996 NFL Draft, the Ravens, with two picks in the first round, drafted offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden at No. 4 overall and linebacker Ray Lewis at No. 26 overall. Both Ogden and Lewis went on to play for the Ravens for their entire professional careers and were both inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Jonathan Ogden at the 2006 Pro Bowl. Ogden played offensive tackle for the Ravens from 1996 through 2007 and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2013. Jonathan Ogden.jpg
Jonathan Ogden at the 2006 Pro Bowl. Ogden played offensive tackle for the Ravens from 1996 through 2007 and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2013.

The 1996 Ravens won their opening game against the Oakland Raiders, but finished the season 4–12 despite receiver Michael Jackson leading the league with 14 touchdown catches. The 1997 Ravens started 3–1. Peter Boulware, a rookie defender from Florida State, recorded 11.5 sacks and was named AFC Defensive Rookie of the Year. The team finished 6–9–1. On October 26, the team made its first trip to Landover, Maryland to play their new regional rivals, the Washington Redskins. The Ravens won the game 20–17. On December 14, 1997, the Ravens played the final professional sporting event at Baltimore’s historic Memorial Stadium, winning 21–19 over the Tennessee Oilers.

1998 marked the opening of a new stadium for the Ravens, currently known as M&T Bank Stadium, but originally named “PSINet Stadium” after the now-defunct internet service provider which purchased the original naming rights. Quarterback Vinny Testaverde left for the New York Jets before the season, and was replaced by former Indianapolis Colt Jim Harbaugh, and later Eric Zeier. Cornerback Rod Woodson joined the team after a successful stint with the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Priest Holmes started getting the first playing time of his career and ran for 1,000 yards. The Ravens finished 1998 with a 6–10 record. On November 29, the Ravens welcomed the Colts back to Baltimore for the first time in 15 years. Amidst a shower of negative cheers towards the Colts, the Ravens won 38–31.

Brian Billick era (1999–2007)

Baltimore's text logo Baltimore Ravens B.png
Baltimore's text logo

Three consecutive losing seasons under Marchibroda led to a change in the head coach. Brian Billick took over as head coach in 1999. Billick had been offensive coordinator for the record-setting Minnesota Vikings the season before. Quarterback Tony Banks came to Baltimore from the St. Louis Rams and had the best season of his career with 17 touchdown passes and an 81.2 pass rating. He was joined by receiver Qadry Ismail, who posted a 1,000-yard season. The Ravens initially struggled with a record of 4–7 but managed to finish with an 8–8 record.

Due to continual financial hardships for the organization, the NFL took an unusual move and directed Modell to initiate the sale of his franchise. On March 27, 2000, NFL owners approved the sale of 49% of the Ravens to Steve Bisciotti. In the deal, Bisciotti had an option to purchase the remaining 51% for $325 million in 2004 from Art Modell. On April 9, 2004, the NFL approved Steve Bisciotti's purchase of the majority stake in the club.

2000: Super Bowl XXXV champions

Banks shared playing time in the 2000 regular season with Trent Dilfer. Both players put up decent numbers (and a 1,364-yard rushing season by rookie Jamal Lewis helped too) but the defense became the team's hallmark and bailed a struggling offense out in many instances through the season. Ray Lewis was named Defensive Player of the Year. Two of his defensive teammates, Sam Adams and Rod Woodson, made the Pro Bowl. Baltimore's season started strong with a 5–1 record. But the team struggled through mid-season, at one point going five games without scoring an offensive touchdown. The team regrouped and won each of their last seven games, finishing 12–4 and making the playoffs for the first time.

During the 2000 season, the Ravens' dominating defense broke a notable NFL record. They held opposing teams to 165 total points, surpassing the 1986 Chicago Bears mark of 187 points for a 16-game season, which at that time was the current NFL record. That record still stands, and the 2000 Ravens remain in the discussion as one of the greatest NFL defenses of all time, most notably alongside the 1985 Chicago Bears defense.

Since the divisional rival Tennessee Titans had a record of 13–3, the Ravens had to play in the wild card round. They dominated the Denver Broncos 21–3 in their first game. In the divisional playoff, they went on the road to Tennessee. With the score tied 10–10 in the fourth quarter, an Al Del Greco field goal attempt was blocked and returned for a touchdown by Anthony Mitchell, and a Ray Lewis interception return for a score put the game squarely in Baltimore's favor. The 24–10 win put the Ravens in the AFC Championship against the Oakland Raiders. The game was rarely in doubt. Shannon Sharpe's 96-yard touchdown catch early in the second quarter followed by an injury to Raiders quarterback Rich Gannon were crucial as the Ravens won easily, 16–3.

The Ravens meet President George W. Bush in 2001. Bush is at center. On the left is Rod Woodson, and on the right is Brian Billick. Geoge W. Bush meets with Baltimore Ravens 20010607-4.jpg
The Ravens meet President George W. Bush in 2001. Bush is at center. On the left is Rod Woodson, and on the right is Brian Billick.

Baltimore then went to Tampa for Super Bowl XXXV against the New York Giants. The Ravens’ defense carried them to a win. They recorded four sacks and forced five turnovers, one of which was a Kerry Collins interception returned for a touchdown by Duane Starks. The Giants' only score was a Ron Dixon kickoff return for a touchdown; however, the Ravens immediately countered with a touchdown return on the ensuing kickoff by Jermaine Lewis. The Ravens became champions with a 34–7 win.

2001–2007

In 2001, the Ravens attempted to defend their title with Elvis Grbac as their new starting quarterback, but a season-ending injury to Jamal Lewis on the first day of training camp and poor offensive performances stymied the team. After a 3–3 start, the Ravens defeated the Minnesota Vikings in the final week to clinch a wild card berth at 10–6. In the first round the Ravens showed flashes of their previous year with a 20–3 win over the Miami Dolphins, in which the team forced three turnovers and out-gained the Dolphins 347 yards to 151. In the divisional playoff the Ravens played the Pittsburgh Steelers. Three interceptions by Grbac ended the Ravens' season, as they lost 27–10.

Baltimore ran into salary cap problems entering the 2002 season and was forced to part with a number of impact players. In the NFL Draft, the team selected Ed Reed with the 24th overall pick. Reed would go on to become one of the best safeties in NFL history, making nine Pro Bowls until leaving the Ravens for the Houston Texans in 2013. Despite low expectations, the Ravens stayed somewhat competitive in 2002 until a losing streak in December eliminated any chances of a postseason berth and a 7–9 finish.

Coach Gary Zauner (front) and Brian Billick with the Baltimore Ravens in 2003. Brian Billick & Coach Zauner.jpg
Coach Gary Zauner (front) and Brian Billick with the Baltimore Ravens in 2003.

In 2003, the Ravens drafted their new quarterback, Kyle Boller, but he was injured midway through the season and was replaced by Anthony Wright. Jamal Lewis ran for 2,066 yards (including a then-NFL record 295 yards in one game against the Cleveland Browns on September 14). With a 106 record, Baltimore won their first AFC North division title. Their first playoff game, at home against the Tennessee Titans, went back and forth, with the Ravens being held to only 54 yards total rushing. The Titans won 20–17 on a late field goal, and Baltimore's season ended early.

Ray Lewis was also named Defensive Player of the year for the second time in his career.

In April 2003, Art Modell sold 49% of the team to Steve Bisciotti, a local businessman who had made his fortune in the temporary staffing field. After the season, Art Modell sold his remaining 51% ownership to Bisciotti, ending over 40 years of tenure as an NFL franchise owner.

The Ravens did not make the playoffs in 2004 and finished the season with a record of 9–7 with Boller spending the season at QB. They did get good play from veteran corner Deion Sanders and third-year safety Ed Reed, who won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award. They were also the only team to defeat the 15–1 Pittsburgh Steelers in the regular season. The next off-season, the Ravens looked to augment their receiving corps (which was second-worst in the NFL in 2004) by signing Derrick Mason from the Titans and drafting Oklahoma wide receiver Mark Clayton in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft. However, the Ravens ended their season 6–10.

Derrick Mason played mainly as the Ravens No. 1 receiver from 2005 through 2010. DerrickMason.jpg
Derrick Mason played mainly as the Ravens No. 1 receiver from 2005 through 2010.

The 2006 Baltimore Ravens season began with the team trying to improve on their 6–10 record of 2005. The Ravens, for the first time in franchise history, started 4–0, under the leadership of former Titans quarterback Steve McNair.

In 2006, The Ravens lost two straight games mid-season on offensive troubles, prompting coach Billick to drop their offensive coordinator Jim Fassel in their week seven bye. After the bye, and with Billick calling the offense, Baltimore would record a five-game win streak before losing to the Cincinnati Bengals in week 13. Still ranked second overall to first-place San Diego Chargers, the Ravens continued on. They defeated the Kansas City Chiefs, and held the defending Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers to only one touchdown at Heinz Field, allowing the Ravens to clinch the AFC North.

The Ravens ended the regular season with a franchise-best 13–3 record. Baltimore had secured the AFC North title, the No. 2 AFC playoff seed, and clinched a 1st-round bye by season's end. The Ravens were slated to face the Indianapolis Colts in the second round of the playoffs, in the first meeting of the two teams in the playoffs. Many Baltimore and Indianapolis fans saw this historic meeting as a sort of "Judgment Day" with the new team of Baltimore facing the old team of Baltimore (the former Baltimore Colts having left Baltimore under questionable circumstances in 1984). Both Indianapolis and Baltimore were held to scoring only field goals as the two defenses slugged it out all over M&T Bank Stadium. McNair threw two costly interceptions, including one at the 1-yard line. The eventual Super Bowl champion Colts won 15–6, ending Baltimore's season.

Willis McGahee played four seasons as a running back for the Ravens. Willis McGahee at Andrews AFB 070821-F-0000J-001 crop.jpg
Willis McGahee played four seasons as a running back for the Ravens.

The Ravens hoped to improve upon their 13–3 record but injuries and poor play plagued the team. The Ravens finished the 2007 season in the AFC North cellar with a disappointing 5–11 record. A humiliating 22–16 overtime loss to the previously winless Miami Dolphins on December 16 ultimately led to Billick's dismissal after the end of the regular season. He was replaced by John Harbaugh, the special teams coach of the Philadelphia Eagles and the older brother of former Ravens quarterback Jim Harbaugh (1998).

John Harbaugh/Joe Flacco era (2008–2018)

2008: Arrival of Harbaugh and Flacco

Joe Flacco (right) and Kyle Boller during 2008 training camp. 7 Boller 5 Flacco.jpg
Joe Flacco (right) and Kyle Boller during 2008 training camp.

With rookies at head coach (John Harbaugh) and quarterback (Joe Flacco), the Ravens entered the 2008 campaign with much uncertainty. Baltimore smartly recovered in 2008, winning eleven games and achieving a wild card spot in the postseason. On the strength of four interceptions, one resulting in an Ed Reed touchdown, the Ravens began its postseason run by winning a rematch over Miami 27–9 at Dolphin Stadium on January 4, 2009, in a wild-card game. [30] Six days later, they advanced to the AFC Championship Game by avenging a Week 5 loss to the Titans 13–10 at LP Field on a Matt Stover field goal with 53 seconds left in regulation time. [31] The Ravens fell one victory short of Super Bowl XLIII by losing to the Steelers 23–14 at Heinz Field on January 18, 2009. [32]

2009–2011

Ray Lewis during a 2008 regular season game. Ray-Lewis-2008-Steelers-regseason-game.jpg
Ray Lewis during a 2008 regular season game.

In 2009, the Ravens won their first three matches, then lost the next three, including a close match in Minnesota. The rest of the season was an uneven string of wins and losses, which included a home victory over Pittsburgh in overtime followed by a Monday Night loss in Green Bay. That game was notable for the number of penalties committed, costing a total of 310 yards, and almost tying with the record set by Tampa Bay and Seattle in 1976. Afterwards, the Ravens easily crushed the Lions and Bears, giving up less than ten points in both games. The next match was against the Steelers, where Baltimore lost a close one before beating the Raiders to end the season. With a record of 9–7, the team finished second in the division and gained another wild card. Moving into the playoffs, they overwhelmed the Patriots; nevertheless they did not reach the AFC Championship because they were routed 20–3 by the Colts in the Divisional Round a week later.

Baltimore managed to beat the Jets 10–9 on the 2010 opener, but then lost a poorly played game against Cincinnati the following week. The Ravens rebounded against the other two division teams, beating Cleveland 24–17 in Week 3 and then . The Ravens scored a fine win (31–17) at home against Denver in Week 5. The Ravens finished the season 12–4, second in the division due to a tiebreaker with Pittsburgh, and earning a wild card spot. Baltimore headed to Kansas City and defeated the Chiefs 30–7, but once again were knocked from the playoffs by Pittsburgh in a hard-fought game.

Terrell Suggs during practice in 2011. Terrell Suggs 2011 stadium practice.jpg
Terrell Suggs during practice in 2011.

The Ravens hosted their arch-enemy in Week 1 of the 2011 season. On a hot, humid day in M&T Bank Stadium, crowd noise and multiple Steelers mistakes allowed Baltimore to crush them with three touchdowns 35–7. The frustrated Pittsburgh players also committed several costly penalties. Thus, the Ravens had gained their first-ever victory over the Steelers with Ben Roethlisberger playing and avenged themselves of repeated regular and postseason losses in the series.

But in Week 2, the Ravens collapsed in Tennessee and lost 26–13. They rebounded by routing the Rams in Week 3 and then overpowering the Jets 34–17 in Week 4. Week 5, the Ravens had a bye week, following a game against the Texans. But in Week 7, Baltimore had a stunning MNF upset loss in Jacksonville as they were held to one touchdown in a 12–7 loss. Their final scoring drive failed as Joe Flacco threw an interception in the closing seconds of the game.

Jarret Johnson spent nine seasons with the Ravens from 2003 to 2011. Jarret Johnson.jpg
Jarret Johnson spent nine seasons with the Ravens from 2003 to 2011.

After beating the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 17 of the regular season, the Ravens advanced to the playoffs as the Number 2 seed in the AFC with a record of 12–4. They gained the distinction of AFC North Champions over Pittsburgh (12–4) due to a tie-breaker.

Ravens' Lee Evans was stripped of a 14-yard touchdown pass by the Patriots Sterling Moore with 22 seconds left and Ravens kicker Billy Cundiff pushed a 32-yard field goal attempt wide left on fourth down as the Patriots held on to beat the Ravens 23–20 during the AFC championship game and advance to Super Bowl XLVI.

2012: Ray Lewis' final season and second Super Bowl victory

Jacoby Jones dives for the end zone during the second quarter of Super Bowl XLVII. Jacoby Jones Touchdown Super Bowl XLVII.jpg
Jacoby Jones dives for the end zone during the second quarter of Super Bowl XLVII.
Lombardi trophy presentation following Super Bowl XLVII. Lombardi Trophy following Super Bowl XLVII.jpg
Lombardi trophy presentation following Super Bowl XLVII.

The Ravens' attempt to convert Joe Flacco into a pocket passer remained a work in progress as the 2012 season began. Terrell Suggs suffered a tendon injury during an off-season basketball game and was unable to play for at least several weeks. In the opener on September 10, Baltimore routed Cincinnati 44–13. After this easy win, the team headed to Philadelphia, but lost 24–23.

Returning home for a primetime rematch of the AFC Championship, another bizarre game ensued. New England picked apart the Baltimore defense (which was considerably weakened without Terrell Suggs and some other players lost over the off-season) for the first half. Trouble began early in the game when a streaker ran out onto the field and had to be tackled by security, and accelerated when, at 2:18 in the 4th quarter, the referees made a holding call on RG Marshal Yanda. Enraged fans repeatedly chanted an obscenity at this penalty. The Ravens finally drove downfield and on the last play of the game, Justin Tucker kicked a 27-yard field goal to win the game 31–30, capping off a second intense and controversially officiated game in a row for the Ravens.

The Ravens would win the AFC North with a 10–6 record, but finished 4th in the AFC playoff seeding, and thus had to play a wild-card game. After defeating the Indianapolis Colts 24–9 at home (the final home game of Ray Lewis), the Ravens traveled to Denver to play against the top-seeded Broncos. In a very back-and-forth contest, the Ravens pulled out a 38–35 victory in two overtimes. They then won their 2nd AFC championship by coming back from a 13–7 halftime deficit to defeat the Patriots once again, 28–13.

The Ravens played the Super Bowl XLVII against the San Francisco 49ers. Baltimore built a 28–6 lead early in the third quarter before a partial power outage in the Superdome suspended play for 34 minutes (earning the game the added nickname of the Blackout Bowl). [33] [34] After play resumed, San Francisco scored 17 unanswered third-quarter points to cut the Ravens' lead, 28–23, and continued to chip away in the fourth quarter. With the Ravens leading late in the game, 34–29, the 49ers advanced to the Baltimore 7-yard line just before the two-minute warning but turned the ball over on downs. The Ravens then took an intentional safety in the waning moments of the game to preserve the victory. Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco, who completed 22 of 33 passes for 287 yards and three touchdowns, was named Super Bowl MVP.

2013–2018

Coming off as the defending Super Bowl champions, this was the first year in franchise history for the team without Ray Lewis. The Ravens started out 3–2, and started the 2–0 Houston Texans 14-loss streak by shutting them 30–9 in Week 3. However, the Ravens lost their next 3 games, losing to the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers in last-minute field goals and were shut out in an attempt to tie the game against the Cleveland Browns 24–18.

After winning and losing their next game, the Ravens came out 4–6, but managed winning their next four games in dominating the Jets 19–3, a Steelers win 22–20 during Thanksgiving, a booming ending in Baltimore against the Vikings 29–26, and an 18–16 win at Detroit, including Justin Tucker's 61-yard game-winning field goal. The Ravens were 8–6, with the 6th seed, but after losing their next two games, and the San Diego Chargers winning their next two to clinch the 6th seed, the Ravens finished 8–8 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2007.

On January 27, 2014, the Ravens hired former Houston Texans head coach Gary Kubiak to be their new offensive coordinator after Jim Caldwell accepted the new available head coaching job with the Detroit Lions. On February 15, 2014, star running back Ray Rice and his fiancée Janay Palmer were arrested and charged with assault after a physical altercation at Revel Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Celebrity news website TMZ posted a video of Rice dragging Palmer's body out of an elevator after apparently knocking her out. For the incident, Rice was initially suspended for the first two games of the 2014 NFL season on July 25, 2014, which led to widespread criticism of the NFL.

In Week 1, on September 7, the Baltimore Ravens lost to the Cincinnati Bengals, 23–16. The next day, on September 8, 2014, TMZ released additional footage from an elevator camera showing Rice punching Palmer. The Baltimore Ravens terminated Rice's contract as a result, and was later indefinitely suspended by the NFL, although a judge later vacated this indefinite suspension. In Week 12, the Ravens traveled down for an interconference battle with the New Orleans Saints, which the Ravens won. In Week 16, the Ravens traveled to Houston to take on the Texans. In one of Flacco's worst performances, the offense sputtered against the Houston defense and Flacco threw three interceptions, falling to the Texans 25–13. With their playoff chances and season hanging in the balance, the Ravens took on the Browns in Week 17 at home. After three quarters had gone by and down 10–3, Joe Flacco led the Ravens on a comeback scoring 17 unanswered points, winning 20–10. With the win, and the Kansas City Chiefs defeating the San Diego Chargers, the Ravens clinched their sixth playoff berth in seven seasons.

In the wild card round, the Ravens won 30–17 against their divisional rivals, the Pittsburgh Steelers, at Heinz Field. In the next game in the Divisional round, the Ravens faced the New England Patriots. Despite a strong offensive effort and having a 14-point lead twice in the game, the Ravens were defeated by the Patriots 35–31, ending their season.

The 2015 season marked 20 seasons of the franchise's existence competing in the NFL, which the franchise recognized with a special badge being worn on their uniforms during the 2015 NFL season. [35] The Ravens lost key players such as Joe Flacco, Justin Forsett, Terrell Suggs, Steve Smith Sr., and Eugene Monroe to season-ending injuries. Injuries and their inability to win close games early in the season led to the first losing season in the Harbaugh-Flacco era. The 2016 Ravens finished 8–8, but failed to qualify the playoffs for the second straight year. They were eliminated from playoff contention after their Week 16 loss to their division rivals, the Steelers. This was the first time the Ravens missed the playoffs in consecutive seasons since 20042005, as well as the first in the Harbaugh/Flacco era.

During the 2017 season, the Ravens improved upon their 8–8 record from 2016 by one win, finishing the season 9-7 and missing the playoffs for the third year in a row. This marked the first time the Ravens failed to make the playoffs in three straight seasons since the team's first three years of existence (1996–1998). The Ravens suffered a loss at home to the Cincinnati Bengals in the final game of the season that prevented them from earning a playoff berth.

Lamar Jackson era (2018–present)

Jackson in 2018 Lamar Jackson vs. Bengals 2018.jpg
Jackson in 2018

The Ravens drafted QB Lamar Jackson with the 32nd pick in the 2018 draft. After the team started the season with a 4–5 record, Jackson took over as the starting QB in Week 11 when Joe Flacco was sidelined with a hip injury. The team won six of its next seven games, finishing the 2018 season with a 10–6 record and winning the AFC North, giving them their first playoff appearance since 2014 and their first division title since 2012. The Ravens lost to the Los Angeles Chargers in the Wild Card round with Jackson at quarterback, making him the youngest QB in NFL history to start a playoff game. At the conclusion of the season, Ozzie Newsome stepped down as the team's general manager. He was replaced by longtime assistant Eric DeCosta.

On March 13, 2019, the Ravens traded Joe Flacco to the Denver Broncos in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. That season, Lamar Jackson led the Ravens to a franchise-best 14–2 record, including a 12-game winning streak to finish the regular season. On December 22, they clinched home-field advantage for the first time in franchise history following a win over the Cleveland Browns. On December 8, Jackson became only the second player in NFL history to rush for over 1,000 yards from the quarterback position. Four days later, Jackson broke Michael Vick's single-season quarterback rushing record of 1,037 yards. Thirteen Ravens were selected to the 2019 Pro Bowl, matching the all-time NFL record. [36] The Ravens finished the 2019 regular season with 3,296 rushing yards, the most rushing yards by any team in NFL history during a season [37] and they became the first team in NFL history to average at least 200 passing yards and 200 rushing yards per game in the same season. [38]

Despite earning the number-one seed in the playoffs, the Ravens were eliminated by the sixth-seeded Tennessee Titans in the Divisional Round of the playoffs, 28–12. Lamar Jackson was unanimously voted AP NFL MVP, becoming only the second player in NFL history to do so, after Tom Brady in 2010.

In 2020, the Ravens went 6–5 in their first 11 games, but rebounded and finished the season 11–5, taking second place in the AFC North and earning a Wild Card playoff berth with the fifth seed. They also led the NFL in rushing yards for the second year in a row during the regular season, with 3,071 yards. In the Wild Card round, they defeated the fourth-seeded Tennessee Titans in Nashville, 20–13. In the Divisional Round, they fell to the second-seeded Buffalo Bills, 17–3.

In 2021, the Ravens claimed the record of consecutive preseason wins with 20, overtaking Vince Lombardi’s Green Bay Packers record. In Week 3 of the 2021 season against the Detroit Lions, Justin Tucker put his name in the NFL record books by kicking the longest field goal in the history of the National Football League, 66 yards, which also was the field goal that won the game and 5 yards longer than his previous career long of 61 yards that was also kicked in Detroit. The following week, the Ravens tied the NFL record of consecutive 100 yard rushing games by a team with 43 in a win over the Denver Broncos, equaling the 1974 to ‘77 Pittsburgh Steelers record. The team reached an 8–3 record by Week 12, but ended the season on a six-game losing streak to finish 8–9, missing the playoffs and coming in last in the AFC North. Jackson sustained an ankle injury during the Week 14 loss to the Browns and did not appear in any subsequent games. [39]

Rivalries

Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger sacked by Bart Scott and Jarret Johnson Roethlisberger being sacked.jpg
Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger sacked by Bart Scott and Jarret Johnson

Pittsburgh Steelers

By far the team's biggest rival is the Pittsburgh Steelers. Pittsburgh and Baltimore are separated by a less-than-5-hour drive along Interstate 70. Both teams are known for their hard-hitting physical style of play. They play twice a year in the AFC North, and have met four times in the playoffs. Pittsburgh leads the all-time series, 30–24, and holds a 3–1 advantage in the four matchups in the postseason. Games between these two teams usually come down to the wire as most within the last 5 years have come down to under 4 points. The rivalry is considered one of the most significant and intense in the NFL today. [40]

Other AFC North rivals

B. J. Sams (36) and Musa Smith (32) playing against the Cincinnati Bengals in November 2006. BJ Sams.jpg
B. J. Sams (36) and Musa Smith (32) playing against the Cincinnati Bengals in November 2006.

The Ravens also have divisional rivalries with the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals. The rivalry with the Browns has been very one-sided; Baltimore holds an advantage of 33–11 against Cleveland. [41] The rivalry with Cincinnati has been closer, with the Ravens slightly holding the edge in the all-time series 27–25.

New England Patriots

The Ravens first met the New England Patriots in 1996, but the rivalry truly started in 2007 when the Ravens suffered a bitter 27–24 loss in the Patriots' quest for perfection. The rivalry began to escalate in 2009 when the Patriots beat the Ravens 27–21 in a game that involved a confrontation between Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs. Both players would go on to take verbal shots at each other through the media after the game. [42]

While the Patriots lead the overall series, 11–4, the teams have split four postseason meetings, 2–2. The Ravens won the 2009 Wild Card Round, 33–14, and the 2012 AFC Championship game, 28–13. The Patriots won the 2011 AFC Championship Game 23–20 and the 2014 Divisional Round, 35–31.

Tennessee Titans

Reemerging in the late 2010s, the rivalry actually started in the early 2000s when both teams were in the AFC Central, with both teams having tough and bitter games, Ravens gave the Titans their first ever loss at the new Adelphia Coliseum in the 2000 season and the Ravens eliminated Tennessee during the playoffs later on. Fans and analysts have noted an emerging rivalry between the Baltimore Ravens and the Tennessee Titans of the AFC South. While there is no known animosity between the cities of Baltimore and Nashville, games between their respective teams have become heated and included fiery verbal exchanges between coaches and players.

Overall Record

Below is table of the Baltimore Ravens head-to-head franchise record as of January 20, 2023. [43]

Regular season recordPlayoffs record
OpponentPldWLTW-L%PFPAPldWLTW-L%PFPA
Arizona Cardinals 8620.75018015800000.00000
Atlanta Falcons 75200.71415310100000.00000
Buffalo Bills 106400.60022415210100.000317
Carolina Panthers 73400.42915312200000.00000
Chicago Bears 73400.42911711000000.00000
Cincinnati Bengals 56 30260.5361260107510100.0001724
Cleveland Browns 50 36140.720119180400000.00000
Dallas Cowboys 65100.83317210700000.00000
Denver Broncos 148600.57130526822001.0005938
Detroit Lions 7610.85720310700000.00000
Green Bay Packers 72500.28616513900000.00000
Houston Texans 1210200.83332121422001.0005423
Indianapolis Colts 156900.40030734531200.3333344
Jacksonville Jaguars 2411130.45849152400000.00000
Kansas City Chiefs 114700.36423128211001.000307
Las Vegas Raiders 128400.66732822511001.000163
Los Angeles Chargers 14950.64330725210100.0001723
Los Angeles Rams 9630.66724517100000.00000
Miami Dolphins 17980.52943929622001.0004712
Minnesota Vikings 74300.57118717800000.00000
New England Patriots 12 3900.25026133742200.50011285
New Orleans Saints 86200.75022216500000.00000
New York Giants 74300.57117414511001.000347
New York Jets 1210200.83327216500000.00000
Philadelphia Eagles 63210.58313611000000.00000
Pittsburgh Steelers 56 24320.4291,0761,11141300.2507898
San Francisco 49ers 7520.71416211811001.0003431
Seattle Seahawks 7430.57117116800000.00000
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 75200.71414910800000.00000
Tennessee Titans 22 111100.50042037053200.6008681
Washington Commanders 74300.57113311100000.00000
Total4512561941.56910,1258,5382917120.586620493

Logo controversy

The team's first helmet logo, used from 1996 through the 1999 Pro Bowl, featured raven wings outspread from a shield displaying a letter B framed by the word Ravens overhead and a cross bottony underneath. The US Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a jury verdict that the logo infringed on a copyright retained by Frederick E. Bouchat, an amateur artist and security guard in Maryland, but that he was entitled to only three dollars in damages from the NFL.

Bouchat had submitted his design to the Maryland Stadium Authority by fax after learning that Baltimore was to acquire an NFL team. He was not credited for the design when the logo was announced. Bouchat sued the team, claiming to be the designer of the emblem; representatives of the team asserted that the image had been designed independently. The court ruled in favor of Bouchat, noting that team owner Modell had access to Bouchat's work. Bouchat's fax had gone to John Moag, the Maryland Stadium Authority chairman, whose office was located in the same building as Modell's. [44] Bouchat ultimately was not awarded monetary compensation in the damages phase of the case. [45]

The Baltimore Sun ran a poll showing three designs for new helmet logos. Fans participating in the poll expressed a preference for a raven's head in profile over other designs. Art Modell announced that he would honor this preference but still wanted a letter B to appear somewhere in the design. The new Ravens logo, introduced in 1999, featured a raven's head in profile with the letter B superimposed. The secondary logo is a shield that honors Baltimore's history of heraldry. Alternating Calvert and Crossland emblems (seen also in the flag of Maryland and the flag of Baltimore) are interlocked with stylized letters B and R.

Uniforms

The design of the Ravens uniform has remained essentially unchanged since the team's inaugural season in 1996. Art Modell admitted to ESPN's Roy Firestone that the Ravens' colors, introduced in early 1996, were inspired by the Northwestern Wildcats 1995 dream season. [46] Helmets are black with purple "talon" stripes rising from the facemask to the crown. Players normally wear purple jerseys at home and white jerseys on the road. In 1996 the team wore black pants with a single large white stripe for all games. [47]

In 1997 the Ravens opted for a more classic NFL look with white pants sporting stripes in purple and black, along with the jerseys sporting a different font for the uniform numbers. The white pants were worn with both home and road jerseys. The road uniform (white pants with white jerseys) was worn by the Ravens in Super Bowl XXXV, at the end of the 2000 NFL season. This all-white combination was originally worn with black socks, but starting in 2021, the Ravens began wearing white hosiery with the all-white uniform.

In the 2002 season the Ravens began the practice of wearing white jerseys for the home opener that has a 1:00 kickoff. In recent seasons, the practice has come when the home game is played in week one. Since John Harbaugh became the head coach in 2008, the Ravens have also worn their white jerseys at home for preseason games.

In November 2004 the team introduced an alternate uniform design featuring black jerseys and solid black pants with black socks. The all-black uniform was first worn for a home game against the Cleveland Browns, entitled "Pitch Black" night, that resulted in a Ravens win. The uniform has since been worn for select prime-time national game broadcasts and other games of significance.

The Ravens began wearing black pants again with the white jersey in 2008. On December 7, 2008, during a Sunday Night Football game against the Washington Redskins, the Ravens introduced a new combination of black jersey with white pants. It was believed to be due to the fact that John Harbaugh doesn't like the "blackout" look. [48] However, on December 19, 2010, the Ravens wore their black jerseys and black pants in a 30–24 victory over the New Orleans Saints. [49]

Since 2010, the Ravens have worn their black jerseys at least twice each season. From 2011 to 2013 and again in 2015, they wore the all blacks once and the black on white once. In 2014 and 2016, they wore all black both times they wore alternate uniforms. In 2017, they wore all black twice and black on white once (although the league is supposed to limit teams to wearing alternate jerseys a maximum of two times a season).

On December 5, 2010, the Ravens reverted to the black pants with the purple jerseys versus the Pittsburgh Steelers during NBC's Sunday Night Football telecast. The Ravens lost to the Steelers 13–10. They wore the same look again for their game against the Cleveland Browns on December 24, 2011, and they won, 20–14. They wore this combination a third time against the Houston Texans on January 15, 2012, in the AFC Divisional playoff. They won 20–13. They would again wear this combination on January 6, 2013, during the AFC Wild Card playoff and what turned out to be Ray Lewis' final home game, where they defeated the Indianapolis Colts 24–9.

From their inaugural season until 2006, the Ravens wore white cleats with their uniforms; they switched to black cleats in 2007. From the mid-2010s onward, the NFL relaxed its rules regarding primary cleat colors, and Ravens players began wearing customized cleats in either purple, black, gold or white.

On December 20, 2015, the team unexpectedly debuted gold pants for the first time, wearing them with their regular purple jerseys against the Kansas City Chiefs. [50] Although gold is an official accent color of the Ravens, the pants got an overwhelmingly negative response on social media by both Ravens fans and fans of other NFL teams, with some comparisons being made to the rival Pittsburgh Steelers' pants, and mustard. [51] [52]

During the 2015 season, the NFL announced a jersey promotion called Color Rush in which teams would wear uniforms typically of one color head-to-toe during select prime-time games. The promotion was used three times that season; all the games that featured them were on Thursday Night and had both teams wear them in each. The following season, the league released uniforms for all 32 teams and announced they would be worn during all Thursday Night games that year, as well as on Christmas. The Ravens had one Thursday Night game in 2016; they wore their all-purple Color Rush uniforms and won 28–7 over the division rival Cleveland Browns. [53] They had one other Thursday Night game the following season, in which they again wore the jerseys and won 40–0 over the Miami Dolphins. In their Christmas 2016 game against the Steelers, the Ravens wore their regular all-white uniforms while their rivals wore their Color Rush uniforms.

On September 13, 2018, the Ravens debuted a new combination in a road game against the Cincinnati Bengals, wearing white jerseys with purple pants. The purple pants are similar to the ones used for Color Rush except that it has side stripes of black and white; the Color Rush purple pants have gold and white stripes. Then on October 21 against the New Orleans Saints, the Ravens paired their new purple pants with their regular purple uniforms. Black socks were originally worn with this combination, but on January 2, 2022, the Ravens wore purple socks with the regular all-purple combination against the Los Angeles Rams, essentially replicating their Color Rush uniforms but with minimal gold elements.

For the regular season finale against the Browns on December 30, the Ravens wore their black uniforms with purple pants. The Ravens wore this combination again October 11, 2021, against the Indianapolis Colts on Monday Night Football in a 31–25 overtime win.

Marching band

The team marching band is called Baltimore's Marching Ravens. They began as the Colts' marching band and have operated continuously from September 7, 1947, to the present. They helped campaign for football to return to Baltimore after the Colts moved. Because they stayed in Baltimore after the Colts left, the band is nicknamed "the band that would not die" and were the subject of an episode of ESPN's 30 for 30 . The Washington Commanders are the only other NFL team that currently has a marching band.

Players of note

Current roster

Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

Reserve lists

Unrestricted FAs

Exclusive-Rights FAs

Rookies in italics

Roster updated February 18, 2024

39 active, 10 inactive, 25 free agent(s)

AFC rostersNFC rosters

Pro Football Hall of Fame

S Ed Reed, Hall of Famer (2002-2012) Ed Reed 2008-08-13.jpg
S Ed Reed, Hall of Famer (2002–2012)

Note: The following lists players who officially played for the Ravens. For other Hall of Famers, players whose numbers were retired, and players who played for the Baltimore Colts, see Indianapolis Colts. Bold number notes player inducted as a member of the Ravens. For Cleveland Browns players, including those in the Hall of Fame and those whose numbers were retired, see Cleveland Browns.

Baltimore Ravens Hall of Famers
Players
No.NamePositionTenureInductedNotes
26 Rod Woodson S 19982001 2009 Super Bowl XXXV Champion
82 Shannon Sharpe TE 20002001 2011 Super Bowl XXXV Champion
37 Deion Sanders CB 20042005
75 Jonathan Ogden OT 19962007 2013 Super Bowl XXXV Champion
52 Ray Lewis LB 19962012 2018 Super Bowl XXXV (MVP) and XLVII Champion
20 Ed Reed S 20022012 2019 Super Bowl XLVII Champion

Retired numbers

The Ravens do not have officially retired numbers. However, the number 19 has not been issued out of respect for Baltimore Colts quarterback Johnny Unitas, except for quarterback Scott Mitchell in his lone season in Baltimore in 1999. In addition, numbers 75, 52, 20, 55, and 73 in honor of Jonathan Ogden, Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Terrell Suggs, and Marshal Yanda respectively, have not been issued since those players' retirements from football.

Ring of Honor

Ring of Honor member Matt Stover Matt Stover 2006-11-05.jpg
Ring of Honor member Matt Stover

The Ravens have a "Ring of Honor" which is on permanent display encircling the field of M&T Bank Stadium. The ring currently honors 20 members, including eight former members of the Baltimore Colts. [54]

Key/Legend

Pro Football Hall of Fame finalist [55]
Inducted or Enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame [56]
Bold numbers indicate jersey numbers not in circulation
Baltimore Ravens Ring of Honor members
#InducteePosition(s)Seasons in BaltimoreDate of InductionAchievements in Baltimore
21 Earnest Byner RB, coach 1996 2003 (8)November 26, 2000 [57] The "tie between two cities" [58]
19 Johnny Unitas QB 1956 1972 (17)October 20, 2002 [59] 10 Pro Bowl selections, 7 All-Pro selections, 4× NFL MVP
24 Lenny Moore HB 1956 1967 (12)7 Pro Bowl selections, 7 All-Pro selections
70 Art Donovan DT 1953 1961 (9)5 Pro Bowl selections, 4 All-Pro selections
77 Jim Parker OT 1957 1967 (11)8 Pro Bowl selections, 10 All-Pro selections
82 Raymond Berry WR 1955 1967 (13)6 Pro Bowl selections, 5 All-Pro selections
83 Ted Hendricks LB 1969 1973 (5)3 Pro Bowl selections, 3 All-Pro selections
88 John Mackey TE 1963 1971 (9)5 Pro Bowl selections, 3 All-Pro selections
89 Gino Marchetti DE 1953 1966 (14)11 Pro Bowl selections, 10 All-Pro selections
Art Modell Principal owner 1996 2003 (8)January 3, 2004 [60] Returned the NFL to Baltimore
99 Michael McCrary DE 1997 2002 (6)October 4, 2004 [61] 2 Pro Bowl selections, 1 All-Pro selection
58 Peter Boulware LB 1997 2005 (9)November 5, 2006 [62] 4 Pro Bowl selections, 1 All-Pro selection, Defensive Rookie of the Year
75 Jonathan Ogden OT 1996 2007 (12)October 26, 2008 [63] 11 Pro Bowl selections, 9 All-Pro selections
3 Matt Stover PK 1996 2008 (13)November 20, 2011 [64] 1 Pro Bowl selection, 2 All-Pro selections
31 Jamal Lewis RB 2000 2006 (7)September 27, 2012 [65] 1 Pro Bowl selection, 1 All-Pro selection, Offensive Player of the Year, 2,000-yard club
52 Ray Lewis ILB 1996 2012 (17)September 22, 2013 [66] 13 Pro Bowl selections, 10 All-Pro selections, 2× Defensive Player of Year, Super Bowl MVP
86 Todd Heap TE 2001 2010 (10)September 28, 2014 [67] 2 Pro Bowl selections, 1 All-Pro selection
20 Ed Reed FS 2002 2012 (11)November 22, 2015 [68] 9 Pro Bowl selections, 8 All-Pro selections, Defensive Player of Year
Brian Billick Head coach 1999 2007 (9)September 29, 2019 [69] Super Bowl champion (XXXV), AFC champion, 2 AFC North championships, 4 Playoff Berths
92 Haloti Ngata DE 2006 2014 (9)October 11, 2021 [70] 5 Pro Bowl selections, 5 All-Pro selections
73 Marshal Yanda OG 20072019 (13)December 4, 2022 [71] 8 Pro Bowl selections, 7 All-Pro selections
55 Terrell Suggs OLB 2003 2018 (16)October 22, 2023 [72] 7 Pro Bowl selections, 2 All-Pro selections, Defensive Player of Year, Defensive Rookie of the Year

First-round draft picks

The team's first draft was the 1996 NFL draft, where they selected UCLA offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden fourth overall and University of Miami linebacker Ray Lewis 24th overall. Both players won a Super Bowl with the team, earned numerous Pro Bowl and All-Pro selections, and are members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Along with their pick in the next year's draft, this was the highest first-round draft pick that the Ravens have had. In 1996, 2000, 2003, 2018, and 2021, the Ravens had two first-round draft picks. In 2004, 2010, and 2012, they had none. Two of their first round picks have made at least ten Pro Bowls. [73]

Team records

Passing

StatisticRegular SeasonPlayoffsRookie
CareerSeasonGameCareerSeasonGameSeasonGame
Completions3,499
Joe Flacco
436
Joe Flacco
2016
37
Joe Flacco
2016-12-12 @NE

Lamar Jackson

2021-10-12 IND

253
Joe Flacco
73
Joe Flacco
2012
31
Lamar Jackson
2020-01-11 TEN
257
Joe Flacco
2008
28
Joe Flacco
2008-10-12 @IND
Pass Attempts5,670
Joe Flacco
672
Joe Flacco
2016
63
Elvis Grbac
2001-09-23 @CIN
447
Joe Flacco
126
Joe Flacco
2012
59
Lamar Jackson
2020-01-11 TEN
428
Joe Flacco
2008
43
Kyle Boller
2003-09-07 @PIT
Passing Yards38,245
Joe Flacco
4,317
Joe Flacco
2016
442
Lamar Jackson
2021-10-12 IND
3,223
Joe Flacco
1,140
Joe Flacco
2012
365
Lamar Jackson
2020-01-11 TEN
2,971
Joe Flacco
2008
302
Kyle Boller
2003-10-19 @CIN
Passing TDs212
Joe Flacco
36
Lamar Jackson
2019
5
Tony Banks
2000-09-10 JAX
Joe Flacco
2014-10-12 @TB
Lamar Jackson
2019-09-08 @MIA
2019-11-25 @LAR
2019-12-12 NYJ
2023-12-31 MIA
25
Joe Flacco
11
Joe Flacco
2012
4
Joe Flacco
2015-01-10 @NE
14
Joe Flacco
2008
2
Kyle Boller
2003-10-19 @CIN
Joe Flacco
2008-11-02 @CLE
2008-11-09 @HOU
2008-11-23 PHI
2008-11-30 @CIN
Lamar Jackson
2018-12-9 @KC
Intercepted136
Joe Flacco
22
Joe Flacco
2013
5
Joe Flacco
2013-09-29 @BUF
10
Joe Flacco
3
Elvis Grbac
2001
Joe Flacco
2008, 2009
3
Elvis Grbac
2002-01-20 @PIT
Joe Flacco
2009-01-18 @PIT
12
Joe Flacco
2008
3
Kyle Boller
2003-09-28 KC
Joe Flacco
2008-10-12 @IND
2009-01-18 @PIT
Passer Rating104.7
Lamar Jackson
98.0
Lamar Jackson
2019
158.3
Lamar Jackson
2019-09-08 @MIA
2019-11-10 @CIN
2023-12-31 MIA
88.6
Joe Flacco
117.2
Joe Flacco
2012
125.6
Joe Flacco
2013-01-06 IND
80.3
Joe Flacco
2008
120.2
Joe Flacco
2008-10-19 @MIA
Sacked333
Joe Flacco
48
Joe Flacco
2013
7
Eric Zeier
1997-12-21 @CIN
Tony Banks
1999-11-21 @CIN
Jeff Blake
2002-11-17 @MIA
28
Joe Flacco
10
Trent Dilfer
2000
5
Joe Flacco
2011-01-15 @PIT
2012-01-15 HOU
32
Joe Flacco
2008
5
Joe Flacco
2008-09-29 @PIT
2008-12-20 @DAL
Yds/Pass Att7.5
Lamar Jackson
8.26#
Eric Zeier
1997
12.92*
Jeff Blake
2002-12-29 @PIT
8.08#
Trent Dilfer
9.05*
Joe Flacco
2012
12.26*
Joe Flacco
2013-01-06 IND
6.94#
Joe Flacco
2008
12.91*
Joe Flacco
2008-12-28 JAX
Pass Yds/Game246.5+
Vinny Testaverde
279.1#
Joe Flacco
2015
-214.9#
Joe Flacco
285*
Joe Flacco
2012
-185.7#
Joe Flacco
2008
-

+ = min. 500 attempts, # = min. 100 attempts, ∗ = minimum 15 attempts,

Rushing

StatisticRegular SeasonPlayoffsRookie
CareerSeasonGameCareerSeasonGameSeasonGame
Rush Attempts1,822
Jamal Lewis
387
Jamal Lewis
2003
36
Bam Morris
1997-10-26 @WSH
Priest Holmes
1998-11-22 @CIN
201
Ray Rice
103
Jamal Lewis
2000
30
Jamal Lewis
2000-12-31 DEN
Ray Rice
2013-01-12 @DEN
2013-02-03 vs. SF
309
Jamal Lewis
2000
35
Jay Graham
1997-11-16 PHI
Rush Yards7,801
Jamal Lewis
2,066
Jamal Lewis
2003
295
Jamal Lewis
2003-09-14 CLE
750
Ray Rice
338
Jamal Lewis
2000
159
Ray Rice
2010-01-10 @NE
1,364
Jamal Lewis
2000
187
Jamal Lewis
2000-11-19 DAL
Rush Yds/Att6.0+
Lamar Jackson
6.9#
Lamar Jackson
2019
10.44*
Willis McGahee
2010-01-03 @OAK
3.73#
Ray Rice
6.46*
Ray Rice
2009
7.23*
Ray Rice
2010-01-10 @NE
4.93#
Bernard Pierce
2012
7.33*
Ray Rice
2008-11-02 @CLE
Rushing TDs45
Jamal Lewis
14
Jamal Lewis
2003
3
Jamal Lewis
2003-12-07 CIN
2006-11-19 ATL
Willis McGahee
2010-01-03 @OAK
Gus Edwards
2023-10-29 @ARI
5
Ray Rice
4
Jamal Lewis
2000
2
Jamal Lewis
2000-12-31 DEN
Willis McGahee
2009-01-18 @PIT
Ray Rice
2010-01-10 @NE

Lamar Jackson
2024-01-20 HOU

9
J. K. Dobbins
2020
2
Jamal Lewis
2000-11-26 CLE
2000-12-31 DEN
Jason Brookins
2001-11-25 @JAX
Rush Yds/Game85.7+
Jamal Lewis
129.1#
Jamal Lewis
2003
-71#
Jamal Lewis
113*
Ray Rice
2009
-85.3*
Jamal Lewis
2000
-

∗ = minimum 15 attempts, # = min. 100 attempts, + = min. 500 attempts

Receiving

StatisticRegular SeasonPlayoffsRookie
CareerSeasonGameCareerSeasonGameSeasonGame
Receptions471
Derrick Mason
107
Mark Andrews
2021
13
Priest Holmes
1998-10-11 TEN
Steve Smith
2015-09-27 CIN
38
Anquan Boldin
22
Anquan Boldin
2012
10
Todd Heap
2011-01-09 @KC
77
Zay Flowers
2023
12
Javorius Allen
2015-12-06 @MIA
Receiving Yds5,777
Derrick Mason
1,361
Mark Andrews
2021
258
Qadry Ismail
1999-12-12 @PIT
616
Anquan Boldin
380
Anquan Boldin
2012
145
Anquan Boldin
2013-01-06 IND
858
Zay Flowers
2023
165
Torrey Smith
2011-11-20 CIN
Yds/Rec16.86+
Torrey Smith
19.12#
Jermaine Lewis
1998
43*
Qadry Ismail
1999-12-12 @PIT
20.7#
Torrey Smith
38.33*
Shannon Sharpe
2000
29*
Anquan Boldin
2013-01-06 IND
18#
Demetrius Williams
2006
30.4*
Torrey Smith
2011-09-25 @STL
Receiving TDs41
Todd Heap
14
Michael Jackson
1996
4
Marcus Robinson
2003-11-23 SEA
6
Anquan Boldin
4
Anquan Boldin
2012
2
Anquan Boldin
2013-01-20 @NE
7
Torrey Smith
2011
Marlon Brown
2013
Marquise Brown
2019
3
Torrey Smith
2011-09-25 @STL
Rec Yds/Game60.2+
Derrick Mason
95.7#
Steve Smith
2015
-77*
Anquan Boldin
95#
Anquan Boldin
2012
-53.6#
Zay Flowers
2023
-

∗ = minimum 4 receptions, # = min. 20 receptions, + = min. 200 receptions

Other

StatisticRegular SeasonPlayoffsRookie
CareerSeasonGameCareerSeasonGameSeasonGame
Total TDs47
Jamal Lewis
15
Ray Rice
2011
Mark Ingram Jr.
2019
4
Marcus Robinson
2003-11-23 SEA
6
Ray Rice
Anquan Boldin
4
Jamal Lewis
2000
Anquan Boldin
2012
2
(6 times)
9
J. K. Dobbins
2020
3
Torrey Smith
2011-09-25 @STL
Yds from Scrimmage9,214
Ray Rice
2,271
Jamal Lewis
2003
295
Jamal Lewis
2003-09-14 CLE
1,046
Ray Rice
394
Ray Rice
2012
159
Ray Rice
2010-01-10 @NE
1,660
Jamal Lewis
2000
170
Jamal Lewis
2000-11-26 CLE
Javorius Allen
2015-12-06 @MIA
All Purpose Yds9,377
Ray Rice
2,271
Jamal Lewis
2003
308
Jermaine Lewis
1997-12-07 SEA
1,077
Ray Rice
619
Jacoby Jones
2012
290
Jacoby Jones
2013-02-03 vs. SF
1,660
Jamal Lewis
2000
250
B.J. Sams
2004-10-04 KC

Returns

StatisticRegular SeasonPlayoffs
CareerSeasonGameCareerSeasonGame
Kick Returns139
Jermaine Lewis
59
B.J. Sams
2004
8
Corey Harris
1998-12-13 MIN
B.J. Sams
2005-11-27 @CIN
25
Jacoby Jones
14
Jacoby Jones
2012
6
Cory Ross
2007-01-13 IND
Jacoby Jones
2015-01-10 @NE
Kick Ret Yds3,161
B.J. Sams
1,251
B.J. Sams
2004
243
Corey Harris
1998-12-13 MIN
627
Jacoby Jones
362
Jacoby Jones
2012
206
Jacoby Jones
2013-02-03 vs. SF
Yds/KR30.07
Jacoby Jones
32.8
Raheem Mostert
2015
53
Jacoby Jones
2012-10-14 DAL
26.64
Jermaine Lewis
37.8
Jermaine Lewis
2000
41.2
Jacoby Jones
2013-02-03 vs. SF
Kick Ret TDs4
Jacoby Jones
2
Jacoby Jones
2012
1
(9 times)
1
Jacoby Jones
2013-02-03 vs. SF
Jermaine Lewis
2001-01-28 vs. NYG
Punt Returns231
Jermaine Lewis
57
Jermaine Lewis
1999
7
(5 times)
16
Jermaine Lewis
11
Jermaine Lewis
2000
6
Jim Leonhard
2009-01-18 @PIT
Punt Ret Yds2,730
Jermaine Lewis
578
Jermaine Lewis
2000
184
Jermaine Lewis
1997-12-07 SEA
224
Jermaine Lewis
122
Jermaine Lewis
2000
99
Jermaine Lewis
2002-01-20 @PIT
Yds/PR15.26
Tandon Doss
16.07
Lamont Brightful
2002
43.25
Jermaine Lewis
2000-12-24 NYJ
14
Jermaine Lewis
20.4
Jermaine Lewis
2001
33
Jermaine Lewis
2002-01-20 @PIT
Punt Ret TDs6
Jermaine Lewis
2
Jermaine Lewis
1997, 1998, 2000
B.J. Sams
2004
2
Jermaine Lewis
1997-12-07 SEA
2000-12-24 NYJ
1
Jermaine Lewis
2002-01-20 @PIT
Total Return Yds5,883
Jermaine Lewis
1,826
B.J. Sams
2004
275
Jermaine Lewis
1997-12-07 SEA
757
Jacoby Jones
472
Jacoby Jones
2012
181
Jermaine Lewis
2002-01-20 @PIT

Kicking

StatisticRegular SeasonPlayoffs
CareerSeasonGameCareerSeasonGame
Extra Points464
Justin Tucker
57
Justin Tucker
2019
8
Justin Tucker
2023-12-31 MIA
23
Justin Tucker
16
Justin Tucker
2012
5
Justin Tucker
2013-01-12 @DEN
Field Goals395
Justin Tucker
38
Justin Tucker
2013, 2016
6
Justin Tucker
2013-12-16 @DET
2023-10-05 @TEN
16
Matt Stover
6
Matt Stover
2000
3
Matt Stover
2001-01-14 @OAK
Billy Cundiff
2011-01-09 @KC
Justin Tucker
2015-01-03 @PIT
Punts862
Sam Koch
103
Kyle Richardson
1999
10
Kyle Richardson
1998-09-20 @JAX
2000-12-24 NYJ
Nick Murphy
2004-11-28 @NE
Sam Koch
2007-11-05 @PIT
80
Sam Koch
33
Kyle Richardson
2000
10
Kyle Richardson
2000-12-31 DEN
2001-01-28 NYG
Punt Yards38,989
Sam Koch
4,355
Kyle Richardson
1999
491
Kyle Richardson
1998-09-20 @JAX
3,568
Sam Koch
1,318
Kyle Richardson
2000
444
Sam Koch
2012-01-15 HOU
Yards / Punt45.23
Sam Koch
47.35
Sam Koch
2014
54.67
Sam Koch
2013-12-08 MIN
44.6
Sam Koch
50
Sam Koch
2014
53.75
Sam Koch
2011-01-15 @PIT

Defense

StatisticRegular SeasonPlayoffs
CareerSeasonGameCareerSeasonGame
Interceptions61
Ed Reed
9
Ed Reed
2004, 2008
2
(28 times) Ed Reed
9
Ed Reed
3
Duane Starks
2000
Lardarius Webb
2011
2
Duane Starks
2001-01-14 @OAK
Ed Reed
2007-01-13 IND
2009-01-04 @MIA
Lardarius Webb
2012-01-15 HOU
Corey Graham
2013-01-12 @DEN
Int Ret Yds1541
Ed Reed
358
Ed Reed
2004
150
Ed Reed
2008-11-23 PHI
168
Ed Reed
93
Duane Starks
2000
76
Ed Reed
2009-01-04 @MIA
Int Ret TDs7
Ed Reed
2
Rod Woodson
1998, 1999
Chris McAlister
2006
Ed Reed
2008
Terrell Suggs
2008
Marcus Peters
2019
1
(44 times)
1
(5 times)
Sacks (since 1982)132.5
Terrell Suggs
17
Elvis Dumervil
2014
4
Michael McCrary
1998-11-08 OAK
Peter Boulware
2002-01-07 MIN
12.5
Terrell Suggs
6
Michael McCrary
2000
3
Michael McCrary
2000-12-31 DEN
Terrell Suggs
2011-01-15 @PIT

Exceptional performances

StatisticCareerSeasonPlayoff GamesRookie Games
300+ yard passing games32
Joe Flacco
6
Joe Flacco
2012
2
Joe Flacco
1
Kyle Boller
2003
100+ yard rushing games32
Jamal Lewis
12
Jamal Lewis
2003
2
Jamal Lewis
Ray Rice
7
Jamal Lewis
2000
100+ yard receiving games9
Anquan Boldin
Mark Clayton
Steve Smith
5
Steve Smith
2014
3
Anquan Boldin
2
Torrey Smith
2011
Games with 1+ TD scored39
Jamal Lewis
10
Jamal Lewis
2003
Ray Rice
2011
5
Anquan Boldin
Ray Rice
5
Jamal Lewis
2000
Games with 2+ TD scored11
Ray Rice
5
Willis McGahee
2009
1
(6 times)
2
Jamal Lewis
2000
Clarence Moore
2004
Games with 3+ TD scored2
Jamal Lewis
1
(10 times)
01
Torrey Smith
2011

Other career records

All records as of December 18, 2019 per Pro-Football Reference.com [74]

Staff

Head coaches

Current staff

Front office
  • Owner – Steve Bisciotti
  • President – Sashi Brown
  • Executive vice president/general manager – Eric DeCosta
  • Executive vice president – Ozzie Newsome
  • Senior vice president of football operations – Pat Moriarty
  • Director of player personnel – George Kokinis
  • Assistant director of player personnel – Mark Azevedo
  • Director of college scouting – David Blackburn
  • Senior player personnel executive – Vince Newsome
  • Vice president of football administration – Nick Matteo
  • Director of compliance – Jessica Markison
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
 
Defensive coaches
  • Defensive coordinator – Zach Orr
  • Defensive line – Dennis Johnson
  • Outside linebackers – Chuck Smith
  • Inside linebackers – Mark DeLeone
  • Defensive backs – Doug Mallory
  • Defensive quality control – Matt Robinson
  • Defensive quality control – Daniel Stern
Special teams coaches
Support staff
  • Assistant to the head coach – Megan Rosburg
  • Director of football research – Scott Cohen
  • Director of football information – Megan McLaughlin
  • Football analyst – Noah Riley
  • Football analyst – Adam Schrack
  • Consultant – Sam Koch
  • Coaching fellowship – Brendan Clark
Strength and conditioning
  • Football performance coordinator – Sam Rosengarten
  • Head strength and conditioning – Scott Elliott
  • Assistant strength and conditioning – Kaelyn Buskey
  • Strength and conditioning – Ron Shrift
  • Strength and conditioning – Anthony Watson

Coaching staff
Management
More NFL staffs

Broadcast media

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Further reading