About
Welcome to Ebony Bird, the Baltimore Ravens news and opinion site, by fans and for fans, brought to you by the FanSided Network. Ebony Bird's goal is to deliver up-to-date Ravens news with team-specific analysis that you cannot find anywhere else. With nearly 40,000 social media followers, this site serves as a community for like-minded fans to come together and catch up on the latest happenings while discussing their passion for the Ravens. The Ebony Bird editorial team are fans too and create content as they closely follow their favorite team. The site covers everything from news and rumors, including roster moves, injuries, trades, industry buzz and analysis, using reputable sources such as Pro-Football-Reference, NFL.com, PFF.com, and more. The FanSided editorial staff oversees all submissions and encourages you to submit any necessary corrections. Updates or corrections to articles after publication are communicated via an editor's note. FanSided is owned and operated by Minute Media, whose other brands also include Sports Illustrated, The Players' Tribune, 90min, and Mental Floss.
Meet The Team
Connor Burke
Connor is in his first year as a contributor at FanSided’s Ebony Bird. He covers anything about the Baltimore Ravens, with a love for the NFL Draft and player profiles. He is a 2025 graduate of Elizabethtown College, where he had experience writing and working for the editing team for the College’s newspaper, The Etownian. He loves Baltimore sports and has been a die-hard fan of the Ravens and Orioles since 2006. In his free time, Connor enjoys attending sporting events, fishing, hiking, and listening to music.
Jaleel Grandberry
Jaleel has covered the NFL for five years, previously working with NFL Network, the Indianapolis Colts, and now FanSided. He also has a background working in college sports.
Leigh Oleszczak
Leigh has covered the NFL and NFL Draft for 10 years on KC Kingdom, NFL Spin Zone, FanSided, and other sites. She has also covered MLB, college football, and basketball, as well as the TV show Survivor.
Matt Sidney
Matt is a sports fan through and through. Formerly a Division 1 Track & Field athlete from Villanova (V's Up!), sports have been his passion his entire life. He's been writing for FanSided sites since 2023. Matt has been the Site Editor for Ebony Bird (Baltimore Ravens) since August 2024 and GMenHQ (New York Giants) since November 2024. Matt has written for multiple publications, including GiveMeSport, Last Word on Sports, Musket Fire, and Sir Charles in Charge. Catch Matt out and ask him about anything sports or beer-related. Cheers.
@Matt_WritesAlot
Ryan Heckman
Ryan Heckman is a Lead NFL Editor for FanSided, covering all 32 teams across the league. Ryan has covered various leagues and teams dating back to 2012, with experience covering both the NFL and NBA. His work has been featured on Bleacher Report and Sports Illustrated among other publications. He loves Jesus, family, and the NFL in that order. If he isn't writing, Ryan is building Legos with his son, playing Disney princesses with his daughter, drinking coffee or lifting weights.
@RyanHeckmanNFLWrite For Us
We aren't called FanSided for nothing. Our network of sports, entertainment and lifestyle sites are powered by fans that want to cover their passions! Whether you are just looking to get your start in online media or you want to contribute to your favorite site as a hobby, FanSided wants to hear from you. Whatever your goal, FanSided can help your voice be heard. If you are interested in writing for any of our sites, please be sure to check out our openings page to submit a propsal.
About FanSided
The idea of FanSided was born in 2007, when two brothers felt that their favorite team, the Kansas City Chiefs, was being under-covered by the mainstream media. Taking matters into their own hands, they launched Arrowhead Addict, a move that would spawn the creation of FanSided in 2009, a network of over 300+ fan-powered unique sports, entertainment and lifestyle sites dedicated to team-specific, sport-specific, genre-specific, and fanbase-specific coverage. From sports, movies and TV to lifestyle and tech, FanSided has you covered.
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