---
slug: "baltimore-ravens"
title: Baltimore Ravens
depth_tier: program
side: UNIVERSAL
category: Teams
source_id: "NFL-0005"
created: 2026-05-12
updated: 2026-05-13
canonical: https://learningfootball.xyz/programs/baltimore-ravens
sameAs:
  - "https://www.espn.com/nfl/team/_/name/bal/baltimore-ravens"
  - Q276539
  - "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltimore_Ravens"
  - "https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/rav/index.htm"
---
# Baltimore Ravens

## Short Definition

AFC North NFL franchise founded in 1996—two Super Bowl titles built on historic defensive dominance and Lamar Jackson's dual-threat quarterback play.

## Definition

The Baltimore Ravens are an NFL franchise in the AFC North division, playing home games at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1996 when owner Art Modell relocated the Cleveland Browns franchise to Baltimore, the team was renamed the Ravens—a reference to Edgar Allan Poe's famous poem and Baltimore's literary heritage. The franchise won Super Bowl XXXV in 2001 and Super Bowl XLVII in 2013, establishing itself as one of the AFC's most consistently competitive organizations.

The Ravens' identity is built around defensive excellence and physical, ground-oriented football. The 2000 defense—led by Ray Lewis and considered among the greatest in NFL history—carried the team to its first championship with historic dominance. The franchise has produced multiple Hall of Fame defenders and maintained a reputation for developing elite defensive players across coaching regimes.

Lamar Jackson's arrival changed the franchise's offensive identity from a run-first, defense-dependent model to a dual-threat quarterback system built around Jackson's unique combination of passing and rushing ability. Jackson won two NFL MVP awards and reoriented how offensive football is discussed at the quarterback position, with Baltimore becoming the proving ground for the modern dual-threat quarterback archetype.

The team's relocation origin—from Cleveland—remains a sensitive history. The NFL handled the move by keeping the Browns identity in Cleveland and allowing Baltimore to begin as a new franchise, which is why the Ravens claim no connection to Browns history despite the organizational lineage.

## Example

"The 2000 Ravens gave up 165 points all season. Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Boulware—that unit was as dominant as any defense in NFL history. Two Super Bowls, two different philosophies, same franchise."

## Common Confusion

The Ravens are a distinct franchise from the Cleveland Browns—when Modell moved the franchise to Baltimore in 1996, the NFL kept the Browns' history and name in Cleveland. The Ravens began as a new entity with no connection to Browns history.

## Related

- super-bowl-sunday
- lombardi-trophy
- nfl-films

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Source: https://learningfootball.xyz/programs/baltimore-ravens