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The Baltimore Ravens have become one of the most successful franchises since joining the National Football League in 1996. Here are the ten best players to ever don the team's uniform.
The Baltimore Ravens franchise was hatched in 1996 when then-owner Art Modell relocated the Cleveland Browns squad after the 1995 season. However, they left the team’s image, likeness, and records in Cleveland. Therefore, the Ravens are technically regarded as an expansion team, the second-youngest in the National Football League.
Even though the Ravens are a relatively new team when it comes to official history, they’ve had much success throughout their existence. They’ve won Super Bowls XXXV and XLVII, making them only one of two undefeated NFL teams in multiple Super Bowl appearances. They’ve entered the playoffs 14 times and won six AFC North division titles.
In this article, we'll discuss 10 players who represent the cream of the crop in the Ravens' history, contributing to the team's success, championships, and the pride of Baltimore football. Their excellence and dedication have left an indelible mark on the franchise and continue to be celebrated by Ravens fans around the world.
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10. Joe Flacco
Flacco brought stability to the quarterback position, a concern the Ravens have had since their inception in 1996. The team selected him 18th overall in the 2008 NFL Draft, and he became their starter for the better part of the next 11 seasons. This play-caller from the University of Delaware became the Super Bowl XLVII Most Valuable Player after completing 22 passes for 287 yards and three touchdowns against the San Francisco 49ers.
9. Marshall Yanda
Yanda played his entire 13-year NFL career with the Ravens. The team selected him in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft, and he started 12 games in his rookie season. The former Iowa standout retired after the 2019 season with eight Pro Bowl selections. This offensive guard also collected two First-Team All-Pro and five Second-Team All-Pro selections. Yanda is a part of the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team and the Ravens Ring of Honor.
8. Rod Woodson
Woodson played for Baltimore from 1998 to 2001. Aside from winning his only Super Bowl title, he became a Second Team All-Pro and three-time Pro Bowler with the Ravens. He also led the league with seven interceptions in 1999. He had 20 interceptions and 306 tackles in four seasons with Baltimore. While Woodson became a Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee in 2009, he is more known for his stint with the Pittsburgh Steelers, one of the Ravens’ most formidable rivals.
7. Jamal Lewis
Lewis is one of only a handful of running backs who is a member of the 2,000-yard club. He did the feat in 2003 with 2,066 yards and 14 touchdowns. Those numbers earned him the only First Team All-Pro and Pro Bowl selections of his career. The Tennessee product played six seasons with the Ravens, finishing with at least 1,000 rushing yards in all but one season. Lewis is a member of the NFL 2000s All-Decade Team and the Ravens Ring of Honor.
6. Haloti Ngata
The Ravens selected Ngata with the 12th overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. He played for the franchise until 2014 before being traded to the Detroit Lions. During his time with Baltimore, this defensive tackle from the University of Oregon was a two-time First Team All-Pro and three-time Second Team All-Pro. He also earned all of his five Pro Bowl selections with the Ravens. In 2019, he signed a one-day ceremonial contract to retire as a Raven. Two years later, he was inducted into the Ravens' Ring of Honor.
5. Terrell Suggs
“T-Sizzle” cooked opposing quarterbacks for 17 seasons, 16 of which were with Baltimore. This outside linebacker from Arizona State joined the Ravens as the 10th overall selection in the 2003 NFL Draft. He became the league’s Defensive Rookie of the Year that season after finishing with 12 sacks, four fumble recoveries, and an interception. He became a two-time All-Pro and seven-time Pro Bowler with the Ravens. Suggs is also a part of the Super Bowl XLVII-winning roster.
4. Justin Tucker
Tucker could move up this list by the time he’s done playing football. He already has the best career field goal percentage rate in the league and holds the record for most seasons with at least 30 field goals made with eight. This undrafted placekicker from Texas is also the fastest player to 1,000 points and 300 career field goals. Aside from winning Super Bowl XLVII with Baltimore, he is also a five-time First-Team All-Pro, a three-time Second Team All-Pro, and a six-time Pro Bowler as of the 2022 season.
3. Ed Reed
That’s six letters that terrorized opposing receivers. Reed became a Raven as the 24th overall selection in the 2002 NFL Draft. Two years later, he was already the league’s best defensive player with a league-leading nine interceptions, 76 tackles, and two sacks. Reed is one of only two players to lead the NFL in receptions thrice. This 2019 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee is an eight-time All-Pro and nine-time Pro Bowler.
He is a member of the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team and the Ravens Ring of Honor. This safety from the University of Miami holds the record for most career interception return yards (1,590) and longest interception return (108). His nine postseason interceptions are tied for most in league history with Bill Simpson, Charlie Waters, and Ronnie Lott.
2. Jonathan Ogden
The Ravens could have selected running back Lawrence Phillips with the fourth overall pick in the 1996 NFL Draft. However, then-general manager Ozzie Newsome made the offensive tackle from UCLA the first player selected in team history. What a way to start a franchise because he became a stalwart in Baltimore’s offensive line for 12 seasons.
Aside from the Super Bowl XXXV title, Ogden is a four-time First Team All-Pro and five-time Second Team All-Pro. He was also a Pro Bowl selection in all but one season. He started in 176 out of 177 career games and is an NFL 2000s All-Decade Team member. This Washington, D.C. native is also a member of the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team and the Ravens Ring of Honor.
1. Ray Lewis
Whether it’s his electrifying pre-game dance or his tenacity on the field, Ray Lewis is the first player that fans will remember when you mention the Baltimore Ravens. He became the iconic face of the franchise, even after his retirement in 2012. Lewis was selected 26th overall by the Ravens in 1996, making him draftmates with Ogden. They’ve built the foundation of the Ravens franchise on opposite sides of the ball.
Lewis is the only player on this list who is a part of both Ravens Super Bowl titles. The two-time Defensive Player of the Year was also the Super Bowl XXXV MVP, leading one of the best defensive teams ever. He was a seven-time First Team All-Pro, a 13-time Pro Bowler, and a Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee in 2018. He is also a part of the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team and the Ravens Ring of Honor.
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