Established
1996
City
Baltimore
League History
1996 – Present / National Football League
Team History
1996 - Present / Baltimore Ravens
Nickname
Ravens - The Baltimore Ravens have been one of the most successful teams in the NFL since their inception in 1996. The team has won two Super Bowls and established itself as a perennial playoff contender. But what many fans may not know is that the Ravens' nickname has an interesting origin story.
In 1995, when Art Modell announced he was relocating his Cleveland Browns franchise to Baltimore, Maryland, it created a firestorm of controversy among football fans across America. In response to this outcry from Brown's loyalists, Modell wanted to honor them by giving his new team a name that paid homage to its predecessor - thus leading him toward "Ravens." He chose this moniker because Edgar Allan Poe wrote “The Raven” while living in Baltimore during 1845-1849 and considered it one of his greatest works; additionally, "Raven" also refers directly back to Cleveland's original mascot: The Brown's logo featured an orange helmet with three raven feathers on each side for decades before being replaced by another design after they moved away from Ohio in 1996
As such, when looking at all aspects involved – including history & literary references – there are few sports nicknames more fitting than ‘Ravens’ for any NFL franchise located within Maryland state lines!
Championship
Super Bowl 2
2013, 2001
Stadium
2003 - Present / M&T Bank Stadium
2002 - 2003 / Ravens Stadium at Camden Yards
1999 - 2002 / PSINet Stadium
1998 - 1999 / Ravens Stadium at Camden Yards
1996 - 1997 / Memorial Stadium
Owner
2004 - Present / Steve Bisciotti
1996 - 2004 / Art Modell
- 1996
- 1998
- 2000
- 2000
- 2012
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1996 Baltimore Ravens Team Formation
The 1996 Baltimore Ravens season was the franchise’s inaugural season in the National Football League (NFL) and at their home stadium, Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland. Baltimore remained without an NFL football franchise for 13 years after the Baltimore Colts relocated to Indianapolis, Indiana. In 1996, however, the NFL approved Cleveland Browns owner Art Modell’s proposal to relocate the franchise ... -
M&T Bank Stadium
M&T Bank Stadium is a multi-purpose football stadium located in Baltimore, Maryland. It is the home of the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. The stadium is immediately adjacent to Oriole Park at Camden Yards, the home of the Baltimore Orioles. Often referred to as “The Bank”, M&T Bank Stadium officially opened in 1998 and is currently one of ... -
New Ownership Steve Bisciotti
Due to continual financial hardships, the NFL directed Modell to initiate the sale of his franchise. On March 27, 2000, NFL owners approved the sale of 49% of the Ravens to Steve Bisciotti. In the deal, Bisciotti had an option to purchase the remaining 51% for $325 million in 2004 from Art Modell. On April 9, 2004, the NFL approved ... -
Super Bowl Winner 2000
Super Bowl XXXV – 2000 Super Bowl XXXV was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Baltimore Ravens and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion New York Giants to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 2000 season. The Ravens defeated the Giants by the score of 34–7. The game was played on January ... -
Super Bowl Winners 2012
Super Bowl XLVII – 2012 Super Bowl XLVII was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Baltimore Ravens and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion San Francisco 49ers to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 2012 season. The Ravens defeated the 49ers by the score of 34–31, handing the 49ers their first Super ...
To qualify as the greatest player for this team, the player must have played one season for this team. If not, we will remove the player.
* verifies that player has played for this team as an added player by a fan.
History of the Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens, home to the NFL Greatest Player Ray Lewis, are one of the most successful teams in NFL history, having won two Super Bowls and three AFC championships. Founded in 1996, the Ravens have become a perennial league powerhouse with their physical football brand and strong defensive play. But before they became a dominant force on Sundays, much work was needed to get them off the ground.
In 1995, Art Modell decided to move his beloved Cleveland Browns franchise from Ohio to Maryland’s largest city - Baltimore. After months of negotiations between Modell and Maryland officials and legal wrangling with other owners throughout the league, it was finally announced that an expansion team would replace Modell's old team: The Baltimore Ravens were born!
Initially led by head coach Ted Marchibroda (who had coached under Bill Walsh at Stanford) and general manager Ozzie Newsome (the first African-American GM ever hired by an NFL franchise), the new organization set out on its mission for success through hard work and dedication. With their first draft pick being Hall Of Fame tackles Jonathan Ogden, they quickly established themselves as contenders within just two years after winning their division title during its inaugural season, including future Hall-of-Famer Ray Lewis making his debut into professional football.
In 2000 under new head coach Brian Billick, they captured Super Bowl XXXV over New York Giants 34–7 thanks mainly due to stellar defense led by NFL Greatest Player Ray Lewis, who earned MVP honors for that game while posting 4 tackles & 1 interception return for a touchdown; this victory marked only second championship win since moving from Cleveland back in 1995 when they initially joined National Football League. Since then, the Ravens have continued steady success reaching playoffs ten times since 2000, including four consecutive trips from 2008–2011, culminating in another super bowl appearance during the 2012 campaign, where unfortunately fell short against the San Francisco 49ers but still managed to reach the conference championship round yet again proving resilient nature this organization has been built upon these past twenty plus years!
Sports Fan Products
Baltimore Ravens Team History
Uncover the astonishing journey of Lamar Jackson in the video "Lamar Jackson's SHOCKING Player History Revealed!" This in-depth exploration takes you through the ups and downs of Jackson’s career, from his early days as a high school standout to becoming a Heisman Trophy winner at Louisville and ultimately an NFL MVP with the Baltimore Ravens.
Retired Number
*Blue is this team’s history