Standing 6-foot-7 with a range that redefined off-ball linebacker play in the late 1960s, Ted Hendricks arrived in Baltimore as a second-round pick out of Miami (FL) in 1989 and immediately earned his iconic nickname: "The Stork." With his towering height and immense wingspan, Hendricks transformed Don McCafferty's defense, using his frame to disrupt short passing lanes, smother sweep runs, and leap over field-goal units to block kicks with alarming frequency.

Hendricks stepped into a starting strongside linebacker role during his sophomore season in 1970, emerging as an indispensable centerpiece of Baltimore’s championship run. His spatial awareness and coverage skills were vital in Super Bowl V, where he helped bottle up the Dallas Cowboys' offense in a tight 16–13 victory to capture the first of his four career Super Bowl rings.

Over his final three seasons in Baltimore (1971–1973), Hendricks put together a dominant, peak-level stretch of linebacker play. He earned three consecutive Pro Bowl selections and a First-Team AP All-Pro nod in 1971, picking off 11 passes, recovering seven fumbles, and recording a safety in horseshoe blue. His knack for creating game-changing defensive turnovers in high-leverage moments made him one of the most feared defensive playmakers in pro football.

After the 1973 campaign, a contract dispute led to his departure for Green Bay and eventually the Oakland Raiders, where he became a legend, but he built the foundation of his Hall of Fame career in Baltimore across 70 consecutive regular-season games. Enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990, Hendricks cemented his legacy as a uniquely gifted linebacker. In Baltimore, he recorded 11 interceptions for 126 return yards, seven fumble recoveries, and a defensive touchdown.