Before the Baltimore Ravens there was the Baltimore Colts. The city of Baltimore will forever remember when the Colts were in town. Baltimore still has a great connection and a passion for the history of their former team, while they fully embrace the Ravens. There is a long history of greatness in Baltimore football and there have been many great players that have played in Baltimore. Today we are going to celebrate not just the accomplishments of the Ravens but also the triumphs of the Baltimore Colts.
The Ravens are the only team in the NFL that still has a marching band. The Baltimore Colts Marching Band refused to stand down. As captured in an emotional documentary by ESPN “30 for 30: The Band That Wouldn’t Die” the Colts marching band did not travel to Indianapolis. Instead the band became a movement, hoping to get NFL football back in the Charm City. By honoring the great players of Baltimore’s former team, we are also honoring the most persevering marching band there ever was.
As we count down the greatest players in Baltimore football’s history, remember the ending line for the Colts/Ravens fight song “For Baltimore and Maryland, we will go on to victory!”
Next: 10. Gino Marchetti
10. Gino Marchetti
I don’t think enough people remember how great Gino Marchetti was for the Colts. From 1953-1964 Marchetti was a beloved defensive end with the Colts. He was one of the first great players at his position and his accolades speak for themselves. Marchetti was a nine time first team All-Pro player and he made 11 Pro Bowl appearances. He won two championships with the Colts in 1958-1959. The 1958 NFL championship was nicknamed the “Greatest Game Ever Played.”
He played in an era when stats for quarterback sacks weren’t recorded, but he was an incredible pass rusher. The 6’4″ 244 pound defensive end became the prototype for the defensive end position. With great strength, and a long build he was as tough of a blocking assignment as there was in professional football. He was a dominant player. There was no doubt that he was one of the best players on some of the best teams in NFL history.
Marchetti was inducted into the Pro Football Hall Of Fame in 1972. His legacy will never be forgotten and his impact on the Baltimore Colts cannot be measured. He was a true legend and there will never be a player quite like him in professional football.
Next: 9.Joe Flacco
9. Joe Flacco
He has won more road playoff games than any quarterback in NFL history. He has been a Super Bowl MVP. Tying a record held by Joe Montana and Kurt Warner, he had one of the most majestic playoff runs in NFL history.
His name is Joe Flacco. Flacco is the best quarterback the Ravens ever had. Before Flacco the Ravens relied on defense. The team certainly could not rely on Flacco’s predecessors at the quarterback position. Nobody wants to go back to the Kyle Boller days. As the league began to be ruled by quarterbacks, Flacco gave the Ravens some legitimacy. Flacco is one of the most debated quarterbacks in the NFL. Everyone wants to figure out how to rank him. At the end of the day he is someone who has done amazing things for the team and he should be appreciated.
Flacco is unafraid to go toe to toe with anybody. He outgunned Andrew Luck, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady on his way to Super Bowl XLVII. Finding a way to the playoffs in six out of his first eight seasons, he is as battle tested as it gets. The Steelers and Bengals seem to just be warm ups for the playoffs in most seasons. Flacco is perfect for the grueling nature of the AFC North.
Next: Lenny Moore
8. Lenny Moore
Lenny Moore was a powerful running back for the Colts. He played from 1956-1967. He was elected to the Pro Bowl in seven of his 12 seasons. He had 5,174 rushing yards and 6,039 receiving yards. He scored 63 touchdowns on the ground and 48 receiving touchdowns. At the time Moore was a unique running back because he was used so frequently as a weapon in the passing game.
What is important to remember about Moore was his big play capability. Moore had a career average of 16.6 yards per reception and 4.8 yards per carry. He was a go to weapon for the Colts. He was a big part of the Colts consecutive championships in 1958 and 1959. His best statistical season was in 1961 when he had 648 rushing yards (averaging 7.1 yards per carry) and had 728 receiving yards.
Moore was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1975. He was a running back that did things way ahead of the times. Moore was a utility back who could do it all. He was a special player and is beloved in Baltimore as a wonderful person. He truly represents the best of the best when it comes to Baltimore football.
Next: 7. Terrell Suggs
7. Terrell Suggs
Terrell Suggs is the leader of the Ravens defense. He is hoping to return from his second grueling leg injury and lead his team back to the playoffs. Suggs was part of some special defenses. When Ray Lewis and Ed Reed left the Ravens in 2012, the torch was passed to Suggs to be the leader. He was the 10th overall pick in the 2003 NFL Draft out of Arizona State; it is safe to say that the Ravens got a lot from that investment.
Suggs is the Ravens all-time leader in sacks and he is a member of the prestigious 100 sacks club. With 106.5 sacks Suggs is 24th all time in sacking the quarterback. The man Ravens fans so affectionately refer to as “T-Sizzle” was the defensive player of the year in 2003 and has been to six Pro Bowls. Early in his career he was just a pass rusher, but he became one of the most complete players in all of football.
Suggs has a larger than life personality. He has given every ounce of his heart to Baltimore. He is one of the fiercest competitors in the NFL, and that’s saying something. You cannot possibly say enough amazing things about Terrell Suggs.
Next: 6. John Mackey
6. John Mackey
When I told my Grandfather about this project, he made it quite clear that John Mackey had to be on the list. Mackey was a great tight end and he was one of the favorite targets of the great Johnny Unitas. Mackey had a big 6’2″ frame and he made some very incredible catches. He had soft hands that allowed him to catch seemingly everything.
From 1963-1971 he was a staple for the Colts and the symbol of consistency. Without Mackey the Colts may never have won Super Bowl V against the Dallas Cowboys. He had a 75 yard touchdown reception that sparked the Colts offense in a gritty defensive battle. Mackey was a go to player. When the Colts needed a big play they would turn to him.
Mackey caught 331 passes for 5,236 yards and 38 touchdowns. He was a Pro Bowl player five times and he was an All-Pro three times in his nine years with the Colts. He also played one season with the San Diego Chargers. Mackey was a great tight end. He was a willing blocker, a great offensive weapon and he was as dependable as anybody in the NFL. Mackey paved the way for many tight ends to follow his example.
Next: 5. Jonathan Ogden
5. Jonathan Ogden
Jonathan Ogden was arguably the greatest left tackle ever to play in the NFL. He was a dominant pass protector that took great pass rushers out of the game. He was a bruising run blocker who paved the way for Jamal Lewis in his glory days. There was never an offensive lineman who could take great defensive ends and outside linebacker completely out of the game like Ogden.
Ogden is one of the most awesome people ever to play in the NFL. He has such a warm and welcoming personality. That always showed in his playing days and it shined during his Hall of Fame induction speech. Oden who was this ferocious 6’9″ 345 pound human plow on the field, is really a gentle giant off the field. The only thing you could ever fault Ogden for was his horrible dancing in commercials, but that was pure comedy.
Ogden was a Pro Bowl player in eleven seasons. He is in the Baltimore Ravens ring of honor for a reason. There have been few players as beloved as Ogden in Baltimore. He was the Ravens first ever draft pick and he was there from the beginning. Ogden will always be remembered as the greatest offensive lineman to ever play in Baltimore.
Next: 4. Raymond Berry
4. Raymond Berry
When you think of the Baltimore Colts, you think of two players first. First you think of Johnny Unitas and then you think of Raymond Berry. Berry and Unitas had a special connection that led to incredible results on the football field. From 1955-1967 Berry played with the Colts. He still owns some NFL records including the most catches in a championship game; yes he caught 12 passes in a championship game. The 6’2″ 187 pound receiver had unbelievable body control.
Berry caught 631 receptions for 9,275 yards and 68 touchdowns in his career. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1973. He and Unitas had a chemistry that was so unique and special. Unitas basically invented the two minute drill with passes to Berry. Berry gets overlooked in the conversation of the best receivers of all time. He could give the best players from today a run for their money. He was a once in a lifetime kind of player that was just dominant.
This was back in a day when pass interference was called much more conservatively than it is now. It was harder to be a receiver in Berry’s era of football. He had to fly on the football field, and his body took a beating throughout his career. He was the best receiver that Baltimore ever had on either team.
Next: 3. Ed Reed
3. Ed Reed
There is never and there will never be a ball hawk better than Ed Reed. Reed was the most dominant free safety of all time and there really isn’t a debate to be had about it. He recorded 64 interceptions and took seven of those interceptions back for touchdowns. He broke the record for longest interception return and then he broke that record again. He has 11 forced fumbles and 13 fumble recoveries on his resume, two of which were returned for a touchdown. Reed also dominated on special teams for a part of his career.
Reed was the most instinctive player I have ever seen. Just like everyone on this elite list of Baltimore talent, he was a once in a lifetime kind of player. We will never see a player be able to duplicate the things he could do on the football field. Reed is awesome and his career was amazing. He knew what the quarterback was going to do before the quarterback knew what he was going to do.
Reed is the greatest player at his position. There is no question about it. He made the impossible possible. He was the most feared defensive back of all time because no player in NFL history could turn defense into offense like Reed could. He was a bolt of electricity to the Ravens defense for eleven seasons.
Next: 2. Ray Lewis
2. Ray Lewis
Ray Lewis is one of the greatest players to ever play the game of football. He was the most dominant inside linebacker the game has ever seen. Paired with Ed Reed he did some amazing things as the leader of the Ravens defense. From 1996-2012 he roamed from sideline to sideline and dominated. He was a great tackler. He had a high football IQ and he trusted his instincts. He was a machine at the linebacker position.
Most importantly he symbolizes the Ravens franchise. He is the Ravens biggest hero and he was the heartbeat of the team for its first generation. When you talk about Lewis you’re talking about the heart and soul of an entire team, and the teams fan base. He means so much to the Ravens that words could never truly explain it.
He was the leader of the 2000 Ravens defense that is widely considered the greatest defense of all time. He was a 13 time Pro Bowl player. He had over 1,500 tackles, 41.5 sacks and 31 interceptions. Most players have one signature play that you remember forever. Lewis had many signature plays and moments that you will never forget. He was the greatest linebacker in NFL history.
Next: 1. Johnny Unitas
1. Johnny Unitas
Johnny Unitas was the leader of the Baltimore Colts and he was their greatest player. He lands at number one on this list for the same reason Baltimore has his statue in front of the Ravens stadium. He was a legend and he means so much to Maryland sports fans. He was the MVP of the NFL four times. He won the NFL player of the year award in 1970. He led the Colts to four championship seasons and he delivered the first famous two minute drill. He even won the first sudden death overtime game in the 1958 championship game.
Unitas threw 290 touchdowns and had over 40,000 passing yards in his career. He was the first great passer of the NFL. There were many good quarterbacks before him and during his time in the NFL. Nobody did the things that Unitas did however. Unitas had a knack for leadership. He was a tough player who would take a beating. He did anything he could to win and he would hold on to the ball and stay in the pocket even when he knew he was going to get hammered by a defender. There will never be a quarterback tougher than Unitas.
Next: Baltimore Ravens: Top 5 Underrated Players Of All Time
These are the 10 greatest players in Baltimore football history. It is a great tradition that span from the 1950’s to the present. Baltimore had to suffer the long wait for a football team to come back to Baltimore. In the end the city of Baltimore got to enjoy two special teams and many special players. It is important that we remember the greatness of the Baltimore Colts and that we continue to build on that history with the Ravens.