The Baltimore Ravens are one of the newer teams in the NFL and play as part of the AFC North division. They joined the NFL after moving from Cleveland to set up an extension franchise in the NFL’s now-defunct AFC Central division, ahead of the 1996 NFL season.
The move saw the city of Baltimore return to the NFL after a dozen years out. Their spell initially ended when the Baltimore Colts relocated to Indiana ahead of the 1984 NFL season. With a newly rebranded team, the city got behind the players wholeheartedly and stuck with them in their four seasons of struggle.
The third season (1998 NFL season) saw Baltimore Ravens move from the historic Memorial Stadium where the Colts played for 30 years to the new M&T Bank Stadium.
Following the relocation, the team’s fortunes turned, and their three-season losing run ended. They finished the 1999 NFL season at 8-8 and in the next campaign; they proved to the league and the country that it wasn’t just a flash in the pan.
The Ravens placed second in the AFC North and proceeded to the playoffs with a 11-5 overall record. The franchise won the Wildcard Round Playoffs against the Tennessee Titans 20-13. However, they would fall in the Division Playoffs to the Bills.
The Ravens have excelled in their short time in the NFL with six divisional titles, two conference championships, and two Super Bowl wins.
Their first Super Bowl win as Baltimore Ravens came in the 2000 NFL season. The Ravens cobbled a 12-4 record and finished in the six-team AFC Central behind Tennessee Titans.
Over the course of the regular season, the team made waves over its robust defense that allowed opposing offenses to advance just 970 yards. They conceded just five rushing touchdowns, which stands as a record for a 16-game NFL season.
In the Playoffs, the Ravens’ defense remained imperious, and only the Titans who played them in the divisional round could reach double digits.
On January 28, 2001, Baltimore decimated New York Giants 34-7 at Super Bowl XXXV. Linebacker Ray Lewis claimed the Super Bowl MVP award. He would go on to feature in the franchise's second Vincent Lombardi Trophy win a dozen years later.
The win was the genesis of the team’s rise in the NFL. They did not fade away and remained a consistent feature in the NFL Playoffs. The Baltimore Ravens have made it past the regular season in 11 of the next 19 seasons, following the Super Bowl triumph.
The Baltimore Ravens are owned by Steve Bisciotti. He purchased part of the franchise ahead of the Super Bowl-winning season in 2000. Per the terms of the purchase, he had the option to buy the Ravens outright, and Biscotti exercised the option ahead of the 2004 NFL season.
He took a bold call to part ways with a Super Bowl-winning coach, but his new hire was justified. John Harbaugh came on board in the same season as Joe Flacco. The duo combined to take the Ravens to a franchise-best four successive postseason appearances and one Super Bowl for the 2012 NFL season.
The Baltimore Ravens made the most of many teams passing up on a Heisman winner and drafted him at #32 overall at the 2018 NFL draft. Lamar Jackson possessed supreme rushing skills, and many regarded him as a running back. However, he remained steadfast on wanting to play quarterback and the team gave him a chance.
Jackson got his chance midway through the 2018 NFL campaign when Super Bowl XLVII MVP Joe Flacco sustained an injury.
In the team's second season with quarterback Lamar Jackson, the team put together the best run of the NFL regular season. Their 14-2 record had them pegged as Super Bowl favorites. However, they lost in the first playoff round. Nevertheless, the quarterback became only the second player to earn the regular season MVP award with a unanimous vote.
The 2020 season saw Lamar Jackson aim to guide Baltimore Ravens to a third consecutive playoff appearance. His goal was to win a post-season game and lift the Vincent Lombardi Trophy. However, the Ravens fell to the Buffalo Bills in the Division Playoffs in a dismal 3-17 loss.
The Baltimore Ravens are a relatively new franchise. Yet they have hit headlines over their logo and had to shake things up near the turn of the century.
The issue arose as the Baltimore dweller was peeved at not getting credit for a design similar to what he had given to the franchise.
After the jury ruled against the franchise, they elected to craft a new logo. The Baltimore Ravens dropped the helmet theme and adopted the crest they use even today. Chiefly, the insignia features a raven looking to the right with the gold-tinted letter 'B' plastered on the side of its head.
Morgan Properties announced a new partnership with Baltimore Ravens with an aim to increase visibility and grow awareness of its multifamily offerings among prospective Mid-Atlantic renters. Moreover, Postmates partnered up with the Ravens alongside the Los Angeles Rams. Postmates provided an assurance to deliver gameday meals throughout the season.
Leidos also came out with an announcement to partner up with the Ravens to spread awareness about the ongoing opioid epidemic through the 'Tackling Opioid Addiction' campaign. For every tackle made during the regular season, Leidos and the Ravens will donate $50 towards Baltimore area nonprofit organizations.
Quarterbacks | #12 Anthony Brown #8 Lamar Jackson #15 Brett Hundley |
Running Backs | #30 Tyler Badie #28 Mike Davis #27 J. K. Dobbins #35 Gus Edwards #43 Justice Hill #47 Nate McCrary #31 Corey Clement #31 Ricky Person |
Wide Receivers | #7 Rashod Bateman #82 Slade Bolden #85 Shemar Bridges #13 Devin Duvernay #29 Bailey Gaither #10 Jaylon Moore #18 Makai Polk #3 James Proche #81 Ben Victor #16 Tylan Wallace #11 Raleigh Webb #17 Devon Williams |
Tight Ends | #89 Mark Andrews #86 Nick Boyle #88 Charlie Kolar #80 Isaiah Likely #38 Ben Mason #84 Josh Oliver #83 Tony Poljan |
Offensive Linemen | #77 Daniel Faalele #71 Ja'Wuan James #61 Jaryd Jones-Smith #65 Patrick Mekari #78 Morgan Moses #62 David Sharpe #79 Ronnie Stanley |
Defensive Linemen | #93 Calais Campbell #97 Aaron Crawford #98 Travis Jones #94 Isaiah Mack #92 Justin Madubuike #91 Rayshad Nichols #58 Michael Pierce #68 Brent Urban #96 Broderick Washington |
Linebackers | #56 Josh Bynes #48 Diego Fagot #40 Malik Harrison #59 Daelin Hayes #50 Justin Houston #49 Zakoby McClain #60 Steven Means #51 Jeremiah Moon #90 David Ojabo #99 Odafe Oweh #6 Patrick Queen #46 Josh Ross #57 Kristian Welch #53 Chuck Wiley #47 Vince Biegel #93 Trent Harris |
Defensive Backs | #5 Jalyn Armour-Davis #18 Kyle Fuller #44 Marlon Humphrey #23 Tony Jefferson #46 Nick Moore #24 Marcus Peters #42 Patrick Ricard #25 Kevon Seymour #21 Brandon Stephens #33 David Vereen #32 Marcus Williams #22 Damarion Williams #29 Daryl Worley #17 Robert Jackson #39 Denzel Williams #36 Chuck Clark |
Special Team | #11 Jordan Stout #9 Justin Tucker |
The Ravens Foundation is the team's charitable arm committed to encouraging and enabling the healthy development of youth in Baltimore and other parts of Maryland. Recent foundation projects include the renovation of the football stadium at Baltimore Polytechnic Institute and the Playground at Collington Square School. The foundation also distributed $100,000 in grants to area nonprofits.
Additionally, the Baltimore Ravens announced the release of the official Ravens license plate, offered by the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration. More than 3,000 plates are currently on the street resulting in a $120, 000 donation to the team foundation.
Founded | 1996 |
Owner | Stephen J. Bisciotti |
CEO | Stephen J. Bisciotti |
Head Coach | John Harbaugh |
General Manager | Eric DeCosta |
Stadium | M&T Bank Stadium |
Location | Baltimore, Maryland |
Sponsors | Postmates, Morgan Properties, Leidos, WaWa, Horseshoe Hotels and Casinos |
Championships | League championships (2) Super Bowl championships (2) 2000 (XXXV), 2012 (XLVII) Conference championships (2) AFC: 2000, 2012 Division championships (6) AFC North: 2003, 2006, 2011, 2012, 2018, 2019 |
Official Website | Baltimore Ravens- www.baltimoreravens.com |