After a storied 13-year career, former Baltimore Ravens nose tackle Haloti Ngata has signed a one-day contract to officially retire with the team who drafted him.
The Baltimore Ravens have seen plenty of incredible defensive players come through their doors since being established in 1996. Guys like Ray Lewis and Ed Reed have forever left a mark in the team’s history, as well as plenty of others. With his career now over after retiring, you can officially add Haloti Ngata to that list.
It was announced Tuesday May 28th, 2019 that Haloti Ngata was retiring from the NFL, thus closing the book on one of the NFL’s greatest nose tackles.
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It’s not often that a team will pull the trigger on a nose tackle high in round one, even then the success rate is so low because of their limited impact. That didn’t stop the Ravens from rolling the dice on Oregon’s raw-talent in Ngata, using the 12th overall pick on him in the 2006 NFL Draft.
The team’s gamble payed its dividends, and then some. During his nine-year stint in Baltimore, Ngata earned five straight Pro Bowl selections stretching from 2009-2013. Ngata also had five straight All-Pro nods (2008-2012), including two first team All-Pro selections (2010, 2011).
It’s not easy whatsoever to earn Pro Bowl honors as a nose tackle, just ask Brandon Williams, who only just got his first selection this past season. In the case of Haloti Ngata, he was simply on a different planet compared to his peers.
Ngata did so much more than take on blocks. Ngata was a ridiculously productive nose tackle for the team, notching 25.5 sacks for the Ravens. From 2010 to 2012, Ngata racked up a remarkable 15.5 sacks. What makes Ngata that much more impressive is that unlike most nose tackles, he was a legitimate three-down player, and one of the most reliable defenders Baltimore had at its disposal.
Considering Haloti Ngata’s main job was to be a space eater, it’s simply incredible what he was able to do for such a long time.
To put a bow on all of this, Ravens Flock was truly blessed to have gotten to watch Haloti Ngata play and dominate for as long as he did. He will forever be a fan favorite and is a sure fire lock for the team’s Ring of Honor. Congratulations, Mr. Haloti Ngata, on such an incredible career, and thank you for everything you gave the city of Baltimore!