The Ravens known for relocation controversy and two titles
The Ravens known for relocation controversy and two titles
Professional football got its start in Baltimore when the original Colts replaced the Miami Seahawks in the All-American Football Conference in 1947. Led by future Hall of Fame quarterback Y. A. Tittle, Baltimore was one of three AAFC teams to survive the merger with the NFL after the 1949 season, but the Colts lasted just one more year before folding.
The city received a second chance three years later when the NFL moved the Dallas Texans to Baltimore. The Colts called Charm City home for more than 30 years before owner Robert Irsay moved the team to Indianapolis in the middle of the night on March 29, 1984.
Football’s second return to Baltimore was also filled with controversy. In 1995, the Cleveland Browns, then owned by Art Modell, were losing money after baseball’s Indians moved out of Municipal Stadium. Modell (who had spoken out against the Colts’ move to Indianapolis) decided to move the Browns to Baltimore. In an interesting note, the day after Modell’s announcement, Cleveland voters approved $175 million in taxes to fund a stadium remodel.
The move led to what is now known as the “Modell Rule.” Sports franchises that either uses publicly funded facilities or get public financial assistance for stadiums now cannot move to another city without giving six months notice and attempting to sell to a local ownership group.
Modell wanted to call his team the Baltimore Browns, but the NFL worked out a deal which allowed Cleveland to retain the Browns name, colors, history and records while suspending operations for three years (the new Browns began to play in 1999).
The new franchise would be treated as an expansion team, despite the fact that Modell retained the contracts of Cleveland players. A fan vote chose the name Ravens after a poem by famous Baltimore resident, writer Edgar Allan Poe.
The Marchibroda years
Ted Marchibroda, a former coach of both the Baltimore and Indianapolis Colts, was named the first Ravens head coach (replacing Bill Belichick, who had just been fired after coaching the Browns for five years). Despite a 16-31-1 record over the first three seasons, Baltimore had some great drafts thanks to Ozzie Newsome, a former Browns tight end who was now the team’s Vice President and General Manager.
The Ravens stressed defense in those first three drafts, selecting future star linebackers Ray Lewis, Peter Boulware, and Jamie Sharper, along with key pieces for their secondary in Duane Starks, DeRon Jenkins, and Kim Herring.
Baltimore also found some young offensive stars in those drafts. Jonathan Ogden became a blind-side protector for Vinny Testaverde, as well as future Ravens quarterbacks, and Jeff Mitchell started for three years at center. Joining running backs Byron “Bam” Morris and Priest Holmes was Jermaine Lewis, an underrated receiver and a stellar kick and punt returner.
The Billick years
Marchibroda was not brought back after the 1998 season, and he was replaced by Brian Billick, the offensive coordinator of a Vikings team that had just set an NFL record for points in a season. Despite the offensive background of their new coach, the defense would prove to be the Ravens’ strong suit.
After an 8-8 record in Billick’s first season, the Ravens stifled opponents en route to a 12-4 record and the team’s first playoff appearance. The defense, led by the coordinator (and future Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis) allowed 165 points, which was the fewest in NFL history. Baltimore gave up just 16 points in three playoff games, including a 16-3 shutdown of the Oakland Raiders in the AFC Championship Game.
The Ravens forced Kerry Collins and the Giants into five turnovers in Super Bowl XXXV, including Starks’ 49-yard interception return for a touchdown. That play was followed by back-to-back kickoff return touchdowns by New York’s Ron Dixon, then one by Jermaine Lewis, marking the first time that touchdowns were a score on three consecutive plays in Super Bowl history. Baltimore went on to win, 34-7, giving the franchise its first title and the city it's first since 1970.
The 2000 season featured backup quarterback Trent Dilfer taking over for Tony Banks after Baltimore failed to score an offensive touchdown during the month of October. Ray Lewis was named Defensive Player of the Year and also earned Super Bowl XXXV MVP honors after making seven tackles.
Baltimore went to the playoffs three more times over the next seven seasons. The Ravens lost in Pittsburgh in the Division round in 2001 and fell to the Titans on a late field goal in the Wild Card round two years later.
In 2004, Modell sold ownership of the team to Allegis Group staffing firm executive Steve Bisciotti, who had purchased a 49 percent share of the team four years prior.
Despite a 13-3 record in the 2006 season, Steve McNair, Jamal Lewis, and company fell flat against Baltimore’s previous residents, the Colts, in a Division round game. After the Ravens went 5-11 in 2007, Billick was dismissed on New Year’s Eve.
The Harbaugh years
Replacing Billick was Jim Harbaugh, a former special teams and defensive backs coach with the Eagles under Andy Reid. The Ravens reached the playoffs with an 11-5 record in 2008, led by rookie quarterback Joe Flacco, young runners Willis McGahee, Ray Rice and fullback Le’Ron McClain, top receiver Derrick Mason and tight end Todd Heap.
The defense featured linemen Haloti Ngata, Kelly Gregg and Trevor Pryce, linebackers Lewis, Terrell Suggs, Bart Scott, Jarrett Johnson and Jameel McClain, and defensive backs Ed Reed, Dawan Landry, and Chris McAlister.
McGahee scored two touchdowns, but the Ravens lost to old nemesis Pittsburgh in the AFC Championship Game. However, that was the start of a run of five consecutive playoff seasons for Baltimore.
The Ravens lost in the Division round the next two years but returned to the AFC Championship Game after a 12-4 season in 2011. Flacco threw for two touchdowns, but Tom Brady’s quarterback sneak for a score early in the fourth quarter was the difference in a 23-20 Patriots win.
Baltimore upended the Colts in the Wild Card round the following year, setting up two memorable AFC games. The Ravens trailed the Broncos 35-28 late in the Division round when Flacco found Jacoby Jones with a 70-yard scoring pass with 29 seconds left. Justin Tucker won the game with a field goal in the second overtime. The AFC Title Game rematch ended with a 28-13 road victory in New England.
In Super Bowl XLVII at the Superdome, only a 34-minute power outage before the second half could stop the Ravens. Flacco threw for three first-half touchdowns and Anquan Boldin caught six passes for 104 yards and a score in the 34-31 win over San Francisco. The game featured John Harbaugh coaching the Ravens and younger brother, Jim, leading the 49ers (the only time in Super Bowl history that brothers have been opposing head coaches).
After missing the playoffs the following season, Baltimore went 10-6 in 2013 but lost to New England in the Division round on a late Brady touchdown pass. A four-year drought followed, with the Ravens getting back into the playoffs this past season. However, the Chargers held off a late rally for a 23-17 Wild Card win.
The 2019 season will be Harbaugh’s 12th in Baltimore, but it will be his first without Flacco under center. The new quarterback will be Lamar Jackson, who impressed as a rookie last season, and joining him will be running back Kenneth Dixon, receiver Willie Snead and tight end Mark Andrews. The offensive line returns four starters.
On defense, lineman Brandon Williams returns, along with linebackers Matt Judon and Kenny Young and the entire secondary. Tucker and punter Sam Koch will be back to anchor Baltimore’s special teams.
-Kevin Rakas