While the Ravens are the second-youngest NFL franchise, they’ve already established themselves as one of the most consistent teams in the league. That consistency started from their first draft, as each of their first two picks in their inaugural draft in 1996 have earned spots in the Hall of Fame. Last month, they joined another current Hall of Famer and a future first-ballot Hall of Famer on the Ravens Mt. Rushmore since 2000, according to Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox.
“For this exercise, overall production, postseason success, contributions to team success, individual accolades, memorable moments and any other relevant team- or player-specific factors were all considered,” Knox wrote, before diving into each team’s Mt. Rushmore since 2000.
Lamar Jackson Joins 3 First-Ballot Hall of Famers on Ravens Mt. Rushmore
- QB Lamar Jackson
- LB Ray Lewis (HOF)
- OT Jonathan Ogden (HOF)
- S Ed Reed (HOF)
Despite playing just 7 seasons so far, Lamar Jackson has already earned a spot on the Ravens Mt. Rushmore. Jackson has earned 4 Pro Bowl nods, 3 First-Team All-Pro nods and 2 MVPs. As the all-time leading rusher among quarterbacks, Jackson is one of only three QBs to run for 1,000 yards in a season and the only one to reach that mark twice.
“The two-time league MVP has blossomed into a consistent top-10 quarterback and one of the most unique playmakers in the history of the game,” Knox wrote on June 24. “While Jackson has yet to appear in a Super Bowl, he may already be the greatest dual-threat quarterback of all time.
Ray Lewis and Ed Reed anchored the 2000 Super Bowl team, who boasted arguably the greatest defense in NFL history. Since the NFL moved to a 16-game schedule in 1978 (not including the strike-shortened 9-game season in 1982), the 2000 Ravens have both the greatest rushing defense (60.6 YPG) and scoring defense (10.3 PPG). Lewis and 5 other Ravens earned All-Pro honors, and the linebacker earned the Defensive Player of the Year award.
Over his first 4 seasons, LT Jonathan Ogden had already established himself as one of the best offensive linemen in the league. He earned 3 Pro Bowl nods and 3 All-Pro nods (1 First-Team, 2 Second-Team) from 1996-1999. During his final 8 seasons (2000-2007), he earned 8 consecutive Pro Bowl nods and 6 All-Pro nods (3 First-Team, 3 Second-Team).
Knox notes that when Ogden was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2013, he “became the first Hall of Famer to spend his entire career with the Ravens.”
OL Marshal Yanda and LB Terrell Suggs Just Missed the Cut
Unfortunately, there are several future Hall of Famers that missed the cut for the Ravens Mt. Rushmore. LB Terrell Suggs and OL Marshal Yanda both fell short of being first-ballot Hall of Famers this February.
But, they both have a good chance of getting in in the future. They reached the final round of 15 modern-era finalists during their first year of eligibility. On their website, the Ravens stated the Hall of Fame cases for both Suggs and Yanda.
“It was extremely difficult to leave off Baltimore Ravens greats like Marshal Yanda and Terrell Suggs,” wrote Knox. “However, quarterback Lamar Jackson has risen to a level that justifies a spot on Baltimore’s Mt. Rushmore.”
Throughout his time with the Ravens, Suggs earned 7 Pro Bowl nods. But, he only made 2 All-Pro teams (Second-Team in 2008 and First-Team in 2011). Even without as many accolades, he impacted the game in so many different ways. Suggs also earned the respect of his peers, landing in the NFL Top 100 in 5 consecutive seasons (2011-2015).
He holds several franchise records by huge margins, including the following:
- Forced fumbles (33): Ray Lewis is second with 19.
- Sacks (132.5): 4-time Pro Bowler Peter Boulware is second with 70.5 sacks.
- Tackles For Loss (193): Ray Lewis is second with 99.
Even a guy like Tom Brady was impressed each time they played against each other. On the aforementioned page stating Suggs’ Hall of Fame case, Brady is quoted as saying the following in 2016:
“He’s been a great player for as long as he’s been in the league. He just does a lot of things really well. He’s got all the rush moves, he drops into coverage, he bats down balls, he [crushes] the tight ends coming off the line of scrimmage. It’s not just sacking the quarterback like most defensive ends. He makes plays in a lot of ways. He has great instincts and plays with those instincts. If he thinks the ball is going inside, he rips inside, and 99 percent of the time, the ball goes inside. You can’t ever count on the same thing from him. You have to play him straight up and see what he’s going to do.”
Yanda played all 13 seasons in Baltimore. He earned a Pro Bowl nod in each of final 8 full seasons (2011-2016, 2018-2019). He also earned All-Pro honors in 7 of those 8 seasons (2 First-Team, 5 Second-Team). Yanda earned the respect of his peers, as well, landing in the NFL Top 100 in 4 consecutive seasons (2014-2017).
For Yanda, there were even more testimonials included from his teammates and competitors. Joe Thomas, who is one of the greatest offensive tackles in league history, was among the players to leave testimonials. The Hall of Famer said the following:
“I’ve known and respected Marshal for a long time. Our careers had a lot of overlap, starting with our days in the Big Ten and then in the AFC North. I always admired his toughness and work ethic. He played at an extremely high level for a long period of time and left everything on the field. He is one of the best to ever do it. He earned so many awards and honors over the years, and I think the next one should be an induction in Canton, Ohio, at the Pro Football Hall of Fame.”
While Suggs and Yanda missed out on the Ravens Mt. Rushmore, both played vital roles during Baltimore’s Super Bowl runs. But, since Lamar has already secured his spot, it’s hard to see him giving it up any time in the future.
Bleacher Report Reveals Ravens Mt. Rushmore since 2000