The Baltimore Ravens are a professional football franchise based in Baltimore, Maryland and a member of the AFC North Division in the National Football League.
The Baltimore Ravens originated in 1996 when the Cleveland Browns' then-owner, Art Modell, controversially decided to relocate the team to Baltimore. The team was named the "Baltimore Ravens" after a fan contest and began play in the 1996 season. The name was inspired by Edgar Allan Poe's poem The Raven, as Poe lived for a time in Baltimore, died there in 1849, and is buried there.
The Ravens triumphed over the New York Giants in Super Bowl XXXV at the conclusion of the 2000 season, making them one of four NFL teams to win in their lone Super Bowl appearance, along with the New Orleans Saints, New York Jets, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. A 2012 poll on NFL.com rated the 2000 team as the second-greatest NFL team of the Super Bowl Era.
The Ravens have experienced great success in their brief history, making the playoffs eight times since 2000, and winning the AFC North three times (2003, 2006, and 2011). The team's history also boasts the careers of Jonathan Ogden, Ray Lewis, and Ed Reed.
Read more about Baltimore Ravens: Rivalries, Logo Controversy, Uniforms, Marching Band, Fields of Play, First Round Draft Picks, Broadcast Media
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