Franchise FAQ

when did the ravens franchise start

by Wendell Klein Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago
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In their inaugural regular season game, the Ravens defeated the Oakland Raiders, 19-14, on September 1, 1996. A Memorial Stadium record crowd of 64,124 witnessed the historic moment.

What was the first year of the Baltimore Ravens?

Main article: 1996 Baltimore Ravens season The 1996 season was the inaugural season of the Baltimore Ravens, and the first time a regular season NFL game was hosted at Memorial Stadium in 13 years. They won their first game at home against the Oakland Raiders, but lost the next two against the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Houston Oilers.

Who is the owner of the Baltimore Ravens football team?

The Ravens were established in 1996, after Art Modell, who was then the owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced plans to relocate the franchise from Cleveland to Baltimore in 1995.

Are the Baltimore Ravens still the most valuable franchise in sports?

^ Shaffer, Jonas (May 12, 2021). "Ravens still one of the most valuable franchises in sports — but other NFL teams are catching up". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved November 30, 2021.

Why did the Baltimore Ravens move from Cleveland to Baltimore?

The Ravens were established after Art Modell, who was then the owner of the Cleveland Browns, announced plans to relocate the franchise from Cleveland to Baltimore in 1995. As part of a settlement between the league and the city of Cleveland, Modell was required to leave the Browns' history and records in Cleveland...

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What were the Ravens called before?

Baltimore BrownsInitially, the team was to be known as the "Baltimore Browns." The plan was for the "Baltimore Browns" to play at Memorial Stadium until a new stadium could be built.

How long have the Ravens been a team?

A relatively young franchise, having played their first game in 1996, the Ravens nevertheless won Super Bowl titles in 2001 and 2013. The Ravens originated when Cleveland Browns owner Art Modell decided to relocate his historic franchise, and he reached a deal with the city of Baltimore to move his team in 1996.

What stadium did the Ravens first play in?

Memorial Stadium09/01: The Ravens first-ever regular season game was played before 64,124 fans at Memorial Stadium, the largest crowd in Baltimore professional sports history.

How many years was Baltimore without a football team?

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 ...

What team has been around the longest NFL?

The Green Bay Acme Packers, founded in 1919 (joined the NFL in 1921, now the Green Bay Packers) is the oldest NFL franchise with continuous operation in the same location. League membership gradually stabilized throughout the 1920s and 1930s as the league adopted progressively more formal organization.

Who is the oldest AFC team?

In March 1994, the Cardinals were christened with a new name, the Arizona Cardinals. But there is nothing new about the oldest team in terms of continuous operation in pro football history.

What are the 5 oldest NFL stadiums?

Here's a list of NFL stadiums, from oldest to newest.Soldier Field (1924), Chicago Bears. ... Lambeau Field (1957), Green Bay Packers. ... Arrowhead Stadium (1972), Kansas City Chiefs. ... New Era Field (1973), Buffalo Bills. ... Mercedes-Benz Superdome (1975), New Orleans Saints. ... Hard Rock Stadium (1987), Miami Dolphins.More items...•

What is the oldest NFL stadium in the NFL?

Soldier FieldSoldier Field in Chicago, home of the Chicago Bears is the oldest stadium in the league having opened in 1924. The stadium that has been used the longest by an NFL team is Lambeau Field, home of the Green Bay Packers since 1957.

What is the oldest stadium in football?

Franklin Field (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) — 1895 It is the oldest college football stadium in the U.S., the site of the first game to be broadcast on radio in 1922.

Who is the newest NFL team?

The Jaguars and Texans are the NFL's two newest franchises.

Has any NFL team ever gone oh and 16?

Since 1944, only five teams have had winless seasons in the NFL: the 1960 Dallas Cowboys (0–11–1), the 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0–14), the 1982 Baltimore Colts (0–8–1) the 2008 Detroit Lions (0–16), and the 2017 Cleveland Browns (0–16).

Has there ever been a football team that lost every game?

Four teams in football history have both lost all their games and failed to score a single point in an entire season; all played eight games or less.

Who is the youngest football team in the NFL?

the Cleveland BrownsThe youngest team on our list is the Cleveland Browns....NFL Rosters By Average Age: Oldest To Youngest ( Oldest) ... New Orleans. Saints. ... Arizona. Cardinals. ... Las Vegas. Raiders. ... New England. Patriots. ... Houston. Texans. ... Miami. Dolphins. ... Buffalo. Bills.More items...•

How long have LA Rams been a team?

Team History The Rams were founded in 1936 in Cleveland, Ohio. In 1946, the team relocated to Los Angeles, making the NFL the first coast-to-coast professional sports entertainment industry. The Rams made their first Super Bowl appearance in 1980 when they were eventually defeated by the Pittsburgh Steelers, 31-19.

How long has Titans been a team?

In 1997, the Oilers became the first NFL team to call Tennessee home when the franchise relocated to the Volunteer state. Two years later in 1999, the franchise retired the nickname Oilers and became known as the Titans.

How long were the Rams a team?

Los Angeles RamsHead coachSean McVayTeam historyCleveland Rams (1936–1942, 1944–1945) Suspended operations (1943) Los Angeles Rams (1946–1994, 2016–present) St. Louis Rams (1995–2015)Team nicknames25 more rows

Who bought the Ravens?

03/27: NFL owners approved the sale of 49% of the Ravens to Anne Arundel County (MD) business executive Steve Bisciotti. In it, Bisciotti had an option to purchase the remaining 51% for $325 million in 2004.

Where did the Ravens play in the Hall of Fame?

8/2: For the first time in team history, the Ravens played in the annual Pro Football Hall of Fame game in Canton, OH... Baltimore bested the Bears, 17-16, just two nights prior to LB Ray Lewis' Hall of Fame induction.

How many games did the Ravens miss in 2004?

01/02: Finishing the 2004 season with a 9-7 record, the Ravens missed the playoffs for the 3rd time in 5 years. Baltimore produced a 6-2 mark at M&T Bank Stadium and a 3-5 record on the road. Injuries caused regular starters to miss 53 games, including the entire season for Pro Bowl OLB Peter Boulware. Other Pro Bowlers who missed considerable time included: TE Todd Heap (10), RB Jamal Lewis (4), LT Jonathan Ogden (4), and CB Deion Sanders (7). C Mike Flynn missed the 1st 7 games.

Where is the Ravens stadium?

09/06: The Ravens opened their new NFL Stadium in downtown Baltimore before a host of dignitaries, a packed house and the Steelers. The Ravens lost, 20-13.

Where is Ravens training camp?

03/18: The Ravens and Western Maryland College (now McDaniel College) entered into a five-year agreement to hold training camp at the Westminster, MD campus.

Who is the Ravens head coach?

01/19: Brian Billick became the 2nd head coach in Baltimore Ravens history when he accepted a 6-year contract from owner Art Modell. Billick, the highly successful offensive coordinator for Minnesota, directed a Vikings' attack that set a variety of NFL and team records, including the league's all-time scoring mark of 556 points in 1998.

Who did the Ravens draft in 2000?

04/15: The Ravens went for offense in the 2000 NFL Draft, selecting Tennessee RB Jamal Lewis (5th overall), Florida WR Travis Taylor (10th overall), and Louisville QB Chris Redman (75th overall) with their 1st 3 picks.

Who is the founder of the Ravens?

In 1972, the Ravens wheelchair basketball team was founded by Ralph Smith, long-term resident of Baltimore, second Vice President of the National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA) and Member of the NWBA Hall of Fame. The name "Ravens" was inspired by Bob Ardinger, a member of the Ravens wheelchair basketball team.

What is the Ravens basketball team?

In the 1990s, the naming rights were later sold to the football team when they came to the city and the wheelchair basketball team became known as the Maryland Ravens, Inc .

How many yards did the Ravens get in 2019?

The Ravens finished the 2019 regular season with 3,296 rushing yards, the most rushing yards by any team in NFL history during a season and they became the first team in NFL history to average at least 200 passing yards and 200 rushing yards per game in the same season.

How many seasons did Jarret Johnson play for the Ravens?

Jarret Johnson spent nine seasons with the Ravens from 2003 to 2011. After beating the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 17 of the regular season, the Ravens advanced to the playoffs as the Number 2 seed in the AFC with a record of 12–4.

What is the Ravens poem?

The name "Ravens" was inspired by Edgar Allan Poe 's poem The Raven. Chosen in a fan contest that drew 33,288 voters, the allusion honors Poe who spent the early part of his career in Baltimore and is buried there. As The Baltimore Sun reported at the time, fans also "liked the tie-in with the other birds in town, the Orioles, and found it easy to visualize a tough, menacing black bird". Edgar Allan Poe also had distant relatives who played football for the Princeton Tigers in the 1880s through the early 1900s. These brothers were infamous players in the early days of American football.

What division is the Baltimore Ravens in?

The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division.

Why did the Ravens finish the season 12-4?

The Ravens finished the season 12–4, second in the division due to a tiebreaker with Pittsburgh, and earning a wild card spot. Baltimore headed to Kansas City and defeated the Chiefs 30–7, but once again were knocked from the playoffs by Pittsburgh in a hard-fought game. Terrell Suggs during practice in 2011.

Who is the greatest player in the history of the Ravens?

Ray Lewis and Jonathan Ogden became, arguably, the greatest to ever man their positions in the history of the game. A few years later they added Ed Reed , who many believe to be the greatest in the history of the game at his position. We're talking GOATS here, people. Not much to squabble about.

Is Ozzie Newsome on the franchise five?

The only thing really up to question is how longtime GM Ozzie Newsome could not find a way to be on this Franchise Five, because the architect of it all certainly belongs in this group. My hands we're tied. Coaches only. But they say 'In Ozzie We Trust' around here for good reason, and even his final NFL draft, where he used his final first-round pick on Lamar Jackson, continues to cement his status as the key figure in the franchise's history to this point.

Who is the Ravens' outside linebacker?

After outside linebacker Matthew Judon and the Ravens failed to reach an agreement on a long-term deal before Wednesday’s deadline, Judon will become the first Ravens player in 12 years to play an entire regular season on the franchise tag.

How many times was Williams tagged?

He was penalized just six times during that span, and Baltimore Sun columnist Mike Preston included Williams as the starting center on his all-time Ravens team.

What NFL teams were formed in 1995?

1995: The Carolina Panthers and the Jacksonville Jaguars became NFL teams.

What year did the NFL merge with the NFL?

1970: This was an eventful year. The American Football Conference was formed on May 17, 1969, prompting the entry of several teams when the American Football League merged with the NFL: the New England Patriots (previously the Boston Patriots), the Buffalo Bills, the Cincinnati Bengals, the Denver Broncos, the Houston Oilers, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Miami Dolphins, the New York Jets, the Oakland Raiders, and the San Diego Chargers. The San Diego team moved in 2017, becoming the Los Angeles Chargers. The Houston Oilers relocated to Tennessee in 1998 and played for two years as the Tennessee Oilers before becoming the Tennessee Titans in 1999. Also in 1970, the Super Bowl trophy was renamed the Vince Lombardi Trophy on September 10, a week after Lombardi's death from cancer at age 57.

What team did the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Pirates merge into?

The Pirates would become the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Eagles and Steelers would briefly become the Steagles in 1943 when they merged for one year after losing so many players to the military during World War II. 1937: The team now known as the Los Angeles Rams has bounced all over.

What team was the New York Giants in 1922?

1922: The Decatur (Chicago) Staleys of the APFA became the Chicago Bears . 1925: The New York Giants were one of five teams admitted to the NFL in 1925. The other four (the Pottsville Maroons, the Detroit Panthers, the Canton Bulldogs, and the Providence Steam Roller) didn't survive. Providence lasted the longest, folding in 1931.

How many teams are there in the NFL?

The APFA became the NFL two years later on June 24, 1922, and expanded to 18 teams. The rest, as they say, is history. There are 32 NFL teams, and football enjoys the greatest yearly revenues of any American sport.

What teams moved to the District of Columbia in 1932?

1932: The Boston Braves relocated to the District of Columbia on July 9, 1932, and became the Washington Redskins a year later. 1933: The Philadelphia Eagles, the Pittsburgh Pirates, and the Cincinnati Reds came into the league in 1933. That particular Cincinnati team didn't survive, folding a year later.

When did the Cardinals move to Phoenix?

Louis until 1987. The team moved to Phoenix from there and was known as the Phoenix Cardinals, until 1993 when it took its present name.

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Overview

Franchise history

The name "Ravens" was inspired by Edgar Allan Poe's poem The Raven. Chosen in a fan contest that drew 33,288 voters, the allusion honors Poe who spent the early part of his career in Baltimore and is buried there. As The Baltimore Sun reported at the time, fans also "liked the tie-in with the other birds in town, the Orioles, and found it easy to visualize a tough, menacing black bird". Edgar Alla…

Rivalries

By far the team's biggest rival is the Pittsburgh Steelers. Pittsburgh and Baltimore are separated by a less-than-5-hour drive along Interstate 70. Both teams are known for their hard-hitting physical style of play. They play twice a year in the AFC North, and have met four times in the playoffs. Pittsburgh leads the all-time series, 30–24, and holds a 3–1 advantage in the four matchups in t…

Logo controversy

The team's first helmet logo, used from 1996 through the 1999 Pro Bowl, featured raven wings outspread from a shield displaying a letter B framed by the word Ravens overhead and a cross bottony underneath. The US Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a jury verdict that the logo infringed on a copyright retained by Frederick E. Bouchat, an amateur artist and security guard in Maryland, but that he was entitled to only three dollars in damages from the NFL.

Uniforms

The design of the Ravens uniform has remained essentially unchanged since the team's inaugural season in 1996. Art Modell admitted to ESPN's Roy Firestone that the Ravens' colors, introduced in early 1996, were inspired by the Northwestern Wildcats 1995 dream season. Helmets are black with purple "talon" stripes rising from the facemask to the crown. Players normally wear purple jerseys at home and white jerseys on the road. In 1996 the team wore black pants with a single l…

Marching band

The team marching band is called Baltimore's Marching Ravens. They began as the Colts' marching band and have operated continuously from September 7, 1947, to the present. They helped campaign for football to return to Baltimore after the Colts moved. Because they stayed in Baltimore after the Colts left, the band is nicknamed "the band that would not die" and were the subject of an episode of ESPN's 30 for 30. The Washington Commanders are the only other NFL te…

First round draft picks

The team's first draft was the 1996 NFL Draft, where they selected UCLA offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden fourth overall and University of Miami linebacker Ray Lewis 24th overall. Both players won a Super Bowl with the team, earned numerous Pro Bowl and All-Pro selections, and are members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Along with their pick in the next year's draft, this was the highest first-round draft pick that the Ravens have had. In 1996, 2000, 2018 and 2020, the Ravens had tw…

Further reading

• Smith, Dean Bartoli (2013). Never Easy, Never Pretty: A Fan, A City, A Championship City. Temple University Press. ISBN 978-1439911068. (available online)

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