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141. Eric Weddle

From the University of Utah, where he was a two-time Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year, Eric Weddle joined the San Diego Chargers as a Second-Round Pick in 2007.  He played off the bench as a rookie.  Weddle won the starting job at Free Safety as a sophomore and became one of the top safeties of the 2010s.

Weddle usually played at FS, but could slide into Strong Safety and provide elite man-to-man coverage when needed.  Lauded for his high football IQ, Weddle became a de facto on-field coach for his squads.  Weddle went to his first Pro Bowl in 2011, the same year he co-led the league in Interceptions (7) and was also a First Team All-Pro.  He added two more Pro Bowls (2013 & 2014) and a second First Team All-Pro as a Charger, but his run in the sun ended when he signed with the Baltimore Ravens in 2016.

The Ravens had Weddle for three seasons, during which he was an annual Pro Bowl selection.  Recording 10 Picks as a Raven, Weddle was released as a cost-cutting measure, and he joined the Los Angeles Rams for 2019.  He had a good year but elected to retire, seemingly ending his career, but the Rams made an offer he couldn’t refuse. 

In 2021, Los Angeles made the playoffs but saw the Safety position decimated by injury. Weddle was coaxed out of retirement, and with his ability to learn defensive schemes quickly, he started in the Rams' Super Bowl LVI win over Cincinnati. Weddle retired a second time, but this time as a champion.  He accumulated 39 Sacks and 1,179 Tackles over his career.

Our All-Time Top 50 Baltimore Ravens have been revised

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the 50 of each major North American sports team.  That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists out and we always consistently look to update them when we can and based on necessity. As such, we are very happy to present the first revision of our top 50 Baltimore Ravens of all-time.

As for all of our top 50 players in football we look at the following: 

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the National Football League. 

This is the first revision since we put up this list after the 2016 Season.

The complete list can be found here, but as always we announce our top five in this article.  They are:

1. Ray Lewis

2. Ed Reed

3. Jonathan Ogden

4. Terrell Suggs

5. Haloti Ngata

The top five remains unaltered from our initial rank but there are some significant jumps and new entries.

Marshal Yanda, who recently retired, went from #10 to 6.  Linebacker, C.J. Mosley, makes his first appearance at #12.  Mosley played for Baltimore from 2014 to 2018, and is currently a New York Jet. Place Kicker, Justin Tucker, who should have been ranked before, enters at #16.  Nose Tackle, Brandon Williams debuts at #22.  Former Safety, Eric Weddle comes in at #28.  Lamar Jackson, who was an MVP last year in what was only his second season, debuts at #30.  The other additions are Cornerback, Jimmy Smith at #41 and Linebacker, Matt Judon at #48.

We welcome your input and commentsand as always, we thank you for your support.

25. Brandon Williams

Playing his college ball at Missouri Southern, Brandon Williams and his wide base was named the Defensive Player of the Year of the MIAA.  Williams was a 3rd Round Pick in 2013 by the Ravens and by 2014 he would become the starting Nose Tackle.  Still with Baltimore as of this writing, Williams was chosen to his first Pro Bowl in 2018, but there does not look to be a second Pro Bowl in his future.

Saying that, Williams, has proven himself as one of the better players in franchise history.

15. C.J. Mosley

Taken 17th overall in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft out of Alabama—fresh off an SEC Defensive Player of the Year campaign and a BCS National Championship—C.J. Mosley entered the league with massive expectations. Step-for-step, he filled the void in the middle of Baltimore's front seven, bringing immediate stability, elite tackling, and pre-snap communication to the defense.

Mosley operated as the classic, physical middle linebacker built for AFC North football. Though he wasn't deployed primarily as an edge pass-rusher, his value lay in his downhill diagnosis and lateral range. Mosley possessed a knack for sifting through interior trash to bring down ball-carriers in the hole, while dropping into pass zones with natural spatial awareness to undercut throwing lanes.

Mosley burst onto the professional scene in 2014 as a rookie. He started all 16 games, recording 133 total tackles, 3.0 sacks, eight pass deflections, and two interceptions. His impressive debut earned him a spot in the Pro Bowl and Second-Team All-Pro honors, and he finished second in AP Defensive Rookie of the Year voting. He backed that up in 2015 with another 117 tackles, a sack, and a 41-yard fumble return for a touchdown against Denver.

Over three seasons, Mosley became a regular at the Pro Bowl. In 2016, he achieved a career-best four interceptions and made 92 tackles, earning his second Second-Team All-Pro honor and second Pro Bowl appearance. His 2017 season was possibly his best in Baltimore: he recorded 132 tackles, 1.0 sack, three forced fumbles, and two interceptions—including a 63-yard return for a touchdown against Miami—securing his third Pro Bowl and second Second-Team All-Pro selection.

In 2018, during his last year in Baltimore, Mosley recorded 105 tackles and delivered the season's defining moment in Week 17. As Cleveland advanced late in the fourth quarter, Mosley intercepted Baker Mayfield on fourth down, clinching the AFC North title for the Ravens. He concluded his season with his fourth Pro Bowl and fourth Second-Team All-Pro honors.

When Mosley hit free agency in 2019, he signed a landmark deal with the New York Jets, leaving a significant leadership void in Baltimore's linebacker corps.  Over his five years with Baltimore, Mosley started all 77 regular-season games he played, recording 580 combined tackles, 8.5 sacks, nine interceptions, six forced fumbles, and six fumble recoveries.

48. Matt Judon

Matt Judon played the first five seasons of his career with the Baltimore Ravens with the last two years being his best with the team.

45. Jimmy Smith

The Ravens were seeking a physical Cornerback in the First Round of the 2011 NFL Draft, and they found that in Jimmy Smith, who, over an 11-year career spent entirely with the Ravens, relied on size, length, and tight boundary coverage to match up directly against opposing teams’ primary receiving threats.

Standing at 6 feet 2 inches and weighing 210 pounds, Smith exhibited exceptional physical stature for a boundary cornerback. In his role as a press-man technician, his principal strength lay in jamming receivers at the line of scrimmage, thereby disrupting route timing, and leveraging his reach to contest throws on boundary fades and deep vertical routes.

After serving as a rotational defensive back during his first two seasons, Smith etched his name into franchise lore during the 2012 postseason. In Super Bowl XLVII, with Baltimore defending a five-point lead against San Francisco late in the fourth quarter, Smith provided tight coverage on Michael Crabtree on a final 4th-and-goal attempt from the 5-yard line, forcing an incomplete pass to seal a 34–31 championship victory.

Building on that signature moment, Smith became Baltimore’s primary starting cornerback from 2013 through 2017. During his peak 2014 season, he allowed a lower completion percentage and quarterback rating in coverage than almost any cornerback in football before a foot injury cut his campaign short. In 2017, he returned a fumble for a touchdown and posted three interceptions, including a pick-six against Oakland.

He evolved late in his career into a versatile defensive sub-package weapon capable of covering tight ends or moving into the slot before retiring in 2022.  Smith had 374 tackles, 74 passes defensed, 14 interceptions, and three defensive touchdowns for Baltimore.

35. Eric Weddle

Signed as a marquee free agent in 2016 after nine stellar seasons with the San Diego Chargers—where he was already a three-time Pro Bowler—Eric Weddle arrived in Baltimore and seamlessly took command of the secondary. Operating as the defensive signal-caller and field general, Weddle delivered three dominant seasons in Charm City, earning a Pro Bowl selection in every single year of his tenure and providing the veteran leadership that anchored Baltimore's defense.

Weddle compensated for his lack of pure top-end speed with exceptional preparation, keen spatial awareness, and a quarterback-like ability to read pre-snap motions. Skilled at playing both in the box as a strong safety and deep in single-high coverage as a free safety, he quickly diagnosed route concepts, effectively passing off receivers in zone coverage and jumping passing lanes to intercept throws. His post-game ice cream ritual showed his cool composure, but on the field, his constant communication kept Baltimore's secondary coordinated.

In 2016, Weddle made an immediate impact commencing as a strong safety, recording 89 combined tackles, 13 pass deflections, and four interceptions, thereby earning his initial Pro Bowl selection as a Raven. Transitioning back to his innate free safety position in 2017, Weddle demonstrated exceptional ball-hawking prowess, intercepting six passes (including a pick-six), forcing two fumbles, and securing his consecutive Pro Bowl appearance.

While 2018 marked his final season with the Baltimore Ravens, Weddle concluded his tenure by anchoring a defense that was ranked No. 1 overall in the NFL, thereby leading Charm City to an AFC North division championship. He received his third consecutive Pro Bowl selection in Baltimore during that year. Throughout his three seasons with the Ravens (2016–2018), Weddle started all 48 regular-season games, accumulating 220 tackles, 10 interceptions, 24 pass deflections, and 2.0 sacks.

While 2018 marked the end of his time in Baltimore, it wasn't the final chapter of his NFL story. Weddle played the 2019 season with the Los Angeles Rams, starting all 16 games before retiring. Two years later, in one of the most remarkable comebacks, he returned to the Rams for the 2021–22 postseason, started immediately, and helped lead them to win Super Bowl LVI, earning his championship ring and ending a 14-year career. He was also named to the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team, establishing his legacy among top defensive backs.

9. Justin Tucker

Signed as an undrafted free agent out of Texas in 2012, Justin Tucker entered training camp needing to beat out veteran Billy Cundiff for a roster spot. He didn't just win the job; he kicked off one of the most dominant individual runs at any position in modern NFL history, elevating placekicking from a nerve-wracking gamble into an absolute mathematical certainty for over a decade in Baltimore.

Tucker brought unprecedented mechanical consistency and explosive leg power to the kicking game. Blessed with a smooth, repeatable three-step approach, he possessed the rare ability to drive low-trajectory line drives through crosswinds while maintaining laser accuracy from deep distance. His poise under extreme pressure made him the ultimate late-game weapon, operating with a calm demeanor that earned him a reputation as the most automatic clutch scorer in football.

Tucker's rookie season in 2012 immediately established his ice-cold reputation. He converted 30 of 33 field goals, including a double-overtime 47-yard game-winner in Denver during the divisional round, before capping his debut year with two crucial fourth-quarter field goals to secure victory in Super Bowl XLVII. By 2013, he claimed his first First-Team All-Pro selection, highlighted by a legendary six-field-goal performance against Detroit that included a franchise-record 61-yard game-winner.

That kick against the Lions was merely a prelude. Tucker went on to set the gold standard for placekicking throughout the decade, earning five First-Team All-Pro honors (2013, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2021) and seven Pro Bowl selections. His signature moment arrived in 2021 against Detroit once again, when he shattered the NFL record by drilling an astonishing 66-yard field goal as time expired, bouncing off the crossbar and through the uprights to secure a walk-off victory.

Across his prime, Tucker rewrote the league's record books. He became the fastest kicker to reach 1,000 career points and spent years holding the highest field goal percentage in NFL history. He was virtually automatic on point-after tries as well, missing only eight extra points across his entire Baltimore tenure despite the league moving the PAT distance back in 2015. His decade of unmatched excellence earned him a spot on the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team.

The final chapter in Baltimore proved difficult both on and off the field. Tucker endured his weakest campaign in 2024, converting a career-low 73.3% of his field goals (22 of 30). In the spring of 2025, amidst an NFL personal conduct investigation into allegations of inappropriate behavior involving massage therapists, the Ravens officially released the veteran kicker after 13 seasons.

Across 212 regular-season games in a Ravens uniform, Tucker converted 417 of 468 field goals (89.1%) and 532 of 540 extra points, totaling 1,783 points as the franchise's all-time leading scorer.

4. Lamar Jackson

Lamar Jackson was selected 32nd overall in the 2018 NFL Draft after Ozzie Newsome traded back into the first round. He arrived in Baltimore with high expectations and a distinctive skill set. When veteran Joe Flacco was injured midway through Jackson's rookie season, the Louisville Heisman winner stepped in, finishing with a 6-1 record and becoming the youngest quarterback in NFL history to start a playoff game. What started as a temporary role quickly changed the franchise's future.

Jackson revolutionized backfield versatility by blending elite track-star speed with quick, elusive agility in space. This forced defensive coordinators to drastically change their defensive strategies against option plays. However, speed is only part of his skill set. As he developed, Jackson proved himself as a top-tier pocket passer, with a quick wrist flick and impressive deep-ball accuracy. He frequently adjusts his arm angles to evade edge rushers, making sidearm throws on the move without setting his feet. In addition to his off-platform arm talent, Jackson demonstrates excellent pre-snap processing, subtly holding safeties with eye discipline and using lateral movements in the pocket to extend passing plays downfield.

His rise peaked in 2019 during his first full season as a starter. Leading a 14–2 regular season, Jackson became only the second player in league history to be a unanimous AP NFL MVP. He led the NFL with 36 touchdown passes, with just six interceptions, and broke Michael Vick's single-season quarterback rushing record with 1,206 yards and 7 touchdowns on the ground. Jackson confirmed his explosive breakout was no fluke in 2020, posting a second straight 1,000-yard rushing season (1,005 yards, 7 TDs) and passing for 2,757 yards and 26 touchdowns, earning his first postseason win.

Despite ankle and knee injuries that impacted his 2021 and 2022 seasons, Jackson remained a crucial player for Baltimore, earning a Pro Bowl in 2021 and keeping the team competitive whenever he was on the field. In 2023, with offensive coordinator Todd Monken's revamped passing approach, he reached his best performance. Jackson secured his second AP NFL MVP award after throwing for 3,678 yards and 24 touchdowns with seven interceptions, and rushing for 821 yards, helping Baltimore reach the AFC Championship Game.

That momentum led to a historic statistical achievement in 2024. Jackson had his best passing season yet, achieving career highs with 4,172 yards and 41 touchdown throws, with only four interceptions. He also ran for 915 yards and scored four times on the ground. His league-best 119.6 passer rating established him as the top quarterback of his generation, narrowly missing out on MVP honors. During the 2025 season, despite a midseason hamstring injury, Jackson demonstrated great resilience over 13 games, passing for 2,549 yards and 21 touchdowns with a 103.8 rating.

Jackson stands as the only player in NFL history to combine multiple 1,000-yard rushing seasons with multiple AP MVP awards, holding the record for the most 100-yard rushing games by a quarterback.

Heading into the 2026 season, Jackson enters his ninth year in Baltimore holding franchise records with 22,608 passing yards, 187 touchdown passes, and 6,522 rushing yards.

All that he is missing is that elusive Super Bowl!

#11 Overall, Derrick Henry, Baltimore Ravens, #1 Running Back

2025 Pre-Season Rank #11, 2024 Pre-Season Rank #23, 2023 Pre-Season Rank #39, 2022 Pre-Season Rank #47, 2021 Pre-Season Rank #70, 2020 Pre-Season Rank #108.  Peak Period: 2019-20/2022-24

The Running Back is dead.  Long live the Running Back.

When many football fans and journalists called the death of rushing, Derrick Henry (and Saquon Barkley) had other ideas, but we have been surpised by Henry before

In 2019, it felt like Derrick Henry won the Rushing Title out of nowhere, as he was in his fourth year, and he only had 1,059 Yards the year before.  In 2020, Henry won his second Rushing Title, shattering his previous mark, and joined the 2,000 Yard Rushing club, won the Offensive Player of the Year.  Had he not gotten injured during the 2021 season, Henry was on his way to his second straight OPOY.  After a bounce back in 2022 that saw him net his third 1,500-yard campaign.  

After one more year in Tennessee, it was clear that the Titans were looking to move on, and the Baltimore Ravens signed Henry to join their potent offense.  In his first season in Baltimore, Henry rushed for 1,921 Yards and led the league in Rushing Touchdowns (16).  Last season, Henry was electric again, with 1,595 more Rushing Yards and 16 more TDs.  His work in Baltimore has been phenomenal, and he is now over 13,000 Yards on the ground and an astonishing 122.  Is Emmitt Smith’s 164 in reach?

Whatever happens forward, it was his first two seasons in Baltimore that sealed the Canton deal.

#12 Overall, Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens, #4 Quarterback

2025 Pre-Season Rank #10, 2024 Pre-Season Rank #14, 2023 Pre-Season Rank #30, 2022 Pre-Season Rank #38, 2021 Pre-Season Rank #46, 2020 Pre-Season Rank #76. Peak Period: 2019-20/22-24*

Everything but the Super Bowl.

Lamar Jackson has been money since he arrived in the National Football League, winning the MVP in 2019, his second in 2023, and in 2024, he almost won it, finishing second to Buffalo’s Josh Allen (even though Jackson was the AP First Team All-Pro).

A Quarterback with two MVPs (and remember, almost three) is a slam dunk to make it to Canton, but he does not want to challenge Dan Marino as the finest QB never to win it all. 

That is where it gets tricky. 

Bluntly, unlike every other position in the NFL, a quarterback’s legacy is based on winning it all, or at least getting there.  There is no doubt that he has been phenomenal throughout his career, but in 2025, Jackson had his first losing season, and he was clearly frustrated to the point where it looked like he might be moving on from the Ravens.

As we enter the 2026 season, Jackson and the Ravens are looking to rebound, and he has the skills to do it.  This is still a top-five QB, and he currently boasts the highest all-time Passer Rating.  Saying that, is Lamar transitioning from a Hall of Fame lock to a Hall of Fame debate?  This season could speak to that.

*We will split peak periods as long as it a division of two and three years.

Marshal Yanda to retire

We have a very significant retirement to discuss in the world of Pro Football as Marshal Yanda will be announcing his retirement on Wednesday.

A third round pick from Iowa, Yanda would start 12 of his 16 Games as a rookie and he would be a permanent fixture on the right side of the line from 2010 until his retirement in 2019. Yanda went to his first Pro Bowl in 2011, and he would go to eight in total. A two-time First Team All-Pro, Yanda was also a Second Team Selection five times.  His presence on the O-Line helped the Ravens win the 2012’s season Super Bowl.

Yanda’s lunch pail work ethic made him a star in the eyes of his peers, his coaches and the fans.  He was considered to be one of the most regimented players in the game.

In our pre-season ranking of active players for Hall of Fame consideration, Yanda was ranked #27 overall and #3 among Offensive Linemen.

Yanda will be eligible for the Hall in 2025, and he will receive (and should) serious consideration.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to wish Marshal Yanda the best in his post-playing career.

  • Published in Football

242. Jamal Lewis

Drafted 5th overall out of the University of Tennessee, Jamal Lewis was an immediate offensive force for the Baltimore Ravens rushing for 1,364 Yards in his rookie season.  More importantly, the Ravens went to the Super Bowl, and Lewis rushed for over 100 Yards and a TD in their Super Bowl XXXV win.  A knee injury took him out of his sophomore season, but he came back in 2002 with another 1,300 Yard Season though it was his 2003 year that places him on this list.  He rushed for 2,066 Yards, which as of this writing, is the third-best in history.  That year, Lewis was named the AP Offensive Player of the Year.

#36 Overall, Justin Tucker: Free Agent, Place Kicker, #1 Kickers & Special Teams

2025 Pre-Season Rank #29, 2024 Pre-Season Rank #26, 2023 Pre-Season Rank #22, 2022 Pre-Season Rank #28, 2021 Pre-Season Rank #42, 2020 Pre-Season Rank Rank #50.

From 2016 to 2023, Justin Tucker was a perennial All-Pro, who earned seven Pro Bowls, tying Morten Andersen for the record for a Place Kicker.  Named to the 2010s All-Decade player, Tucker can stake a claim as the best Kicker that ever lived, and as we are writing this, he holds the record for the most Field Goal accuracy (89.1), and the longest Field Goal (66 Yards).

While the above is fantastic, Tucker was abysmal in 2024, and during the season, he was accused multiple times of inappropriate behavior in massage parlors.  The Ravens released him after the season, and the belief is that he will never play again. 

It is hard enough for Kickers to get into the Hall as is, but when you leave a “stain” on your legacy?   It is even more difficult.  Moving into 2025, it is even more difficult if you can't get a job.

#14 Overall, Calais Campbell, Baltimore Ravens, Defensive End, #6 Defensive Lineman/Linebacker: Pass Rusher

2025 Pre-Seasn Rank #14, 2024 Pre-Season Rank #19, 2023 Pre-Season Rank #19, 2022 Pre-Season Rank #26 2021 Pre-Season Rank #28, 2020 Pre-Season Rank #36. Peak Period: 2014-18

Longevity, talent, and class.

40-year-old Calais Campbell remains a solid Defensive End in the National Football League, and in 2026, he joins the Baltimore Ravens for a second time, and will likely provide solid production.

“The Mayor of Sacksonville” went to six Pro Bowls in a seven-year period (2014-20), which includes his last two in his first run in Arizona, all three of his seasons as a Jacksonville Jaguar, and his first in Baltimore.  Campbell, who won the 2019 Walter Payton Man of the Year and the 2023 Alan Page Award, was also honored with a 2010s All-Decade Selection.

Campbell also has a statistical Hall of Fame resume with 110.5 Sacks and 196 Tackles for Loss, making him the active leader in that stat.  The Hall of Fame loves character guys, but they don’t get a pass unless they show what their goods are on the gridiron.  Calais Campbell did just that.

44. Haloti Ngata

In the 2006 NFL Draft, the Baltimore Ravens made an excellent selection by grabbing Haloti Ngata with the 12th pick. Ngata was a former All-American defensive tackle from the University of Oregon, and the Ravens were looking for someone to stuff up the middle of their defense. Ngata proved to be the answer to their prayers.

As soon as he joined the team, Ngata became a starter, and he quickly made a name for himself as one of the best defensive tackles in the league. He played multiple positions on the line, including defensive end and nose tackle, and he excelled at all of them.

From 2009 to 2013, Ngata was a fixture in the Pro Bowl and was named a First Team All-Pro in 2010 and 2011. His immense size and power made him a dominant force on the field, and he could clog multiple lanes at once, making it incredibly difficult for opposing teams to move the ball.

Ngata played a crucial role in the Ravens' Super Bowl XLVII win, using his strength and tenacity to disrupt the opposing offense and help secure the victory. After his time with the Ravens, Ngata went on to play for the Detroit Lions and the Philadelphia Eagles, but he will always be remembered as a dominant defensive force in the NFL.

Over the course of his career, Ngata recorded 32.5 sacks and 517 combined tackles. His legacy as one of the league’s best defensive players is secure, and he will always be remembered as one of the most dominant forces on the field.

The Top 50 Baltimore Ravens of All-Time

We told you that this would be a task that we would eventually get to.

Regular visitors to Notinhalloffame.com might know that we have told you in past updates that we will be looking at the top fifty players in each major North American Franchise (NHL, NFL, MLB and NBA) and last month we debuted just that with the Charlotte Hornets’ Top fifty players of all-time.

Selected second, we go to the National Football League and two time Super Bowl Champion, the Baltimore Ravens, which like Charlotte and all other future selections was done randomly.  Although we are in the playoffs and Baltimore is not a participant, this is up to the end of the 2014 season as we are waiting for the end of the post season before we include 2015 accomplishments.

39. Randall Cunningham

If the Football Hall of Fame were based solely on excitement, there should be no doubt that Randall Cunningham would have been inducted on the first ballot.  His nickname, the “Human Highlight Reel,” was well deserved, and he was hands down the most entertaining Quarterback of his era.

Randall Cunningham could beat you with his throwing arm or with his legs.  He excelled at scrambling and is the current all-time leader for rushing yards (4,928) for a Quarterback.  This made him exciting to watch but also overshadowed his passing.  Cunningham was an efficient thrower, and as his speed began to wane, he was able to prove to a lot of people in the league that he could throw with the best of them.

Cunningham's scrambling was not always effective, as he was sacked a lot.  He did, however, bring so many weapons (he was also a great punter) to the field that he inspired a new generation of mobile, multi-faceted quarterbacks.  Cunningham never won the AP MVP, but he was a three-time Bert Bell Award winner, and also won a PFWA MVP and NEA MVP.  Doesn't that show how incredible he was?  This should be enough to warrant a look from the Hall, though it hasn’t happened yet, and may never

Regardless of whether Cunningham makes the PFHOF, he is one of the most influential Quarterbacks in Football, and that can never be taken away from him.



Should Randall Cunningham be in the Hall of Fame?

Definitely put him in! - 74.6%
Maybe, but others deserve it first. - 9%
Probably not, but it wouldn't be the end of the world. - 5.1%
No opinion. - 0%
No way! - 10.9%

44. Matt Birk

After establishing himself as one of the league's top centers across eleven seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, Matt Birk joined the Baltimore Ravens as a free agent in 2009. Bringing veteran intelligence and elite pre-snap protection calls to a young offense, Birk served as the offensive line's central brain during a highly successful four-year window.

The Harvard graduate served as a key technician on the line, well regarded for his precise pre-snap calls and recognition of the defensive front. Birk was adept at coordinating Baltimore's blocking strategies to counter complex AFC North blitzes. As his athleticism waned late in his career, he relied on technique and good communication to keep stability for young quarterback Joe Flacco.

Birk's career reached its ultimate peak during the 2012 postseason. He started all four playoff games, anchoring an offensive line that allowed just six sacks throughout the postseason run while paving the way for Ray Rice and Bernard Pierce.

In his final NFL game, Birk started at center in Super Bowl XLVII, helping Baltimore secure a 34-31 victory over the San Francisco 49ers. Having captured his first Super Bowl ring, Birk officially announced his retirement shortly after the championship, concluding his 15-year career on top.

Notably, Birk also won the prestigious Walter Payton Man of the Year in 2011.

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