Ravens Legend Among All-Time Greats

The Baltimore Ravens are one of the NFL's youngest franchises, now entering just their 30th season the league. Knowing, someone unfamiliar with the NFL might assume they haven't had much time to have their players be recognized among the league's all-time greats, but that's not the case at all.

The Ravens have generally been one of the NFL's more successful teams since entering the league, largely thanks to some absolutely iconic players. Chief among them is Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Lewis, who spent his entire 17-year career in Baltimore and is now widely considered the best to ever play the position.

Not only that, but the seven-time All-Pro is widely considered among the best players in NFL history. CBS Sports' Bryan DeArdo ranked him at No. 14 on his list of the league's greatest 25 players of all time.

"A throwback player, Lewis' intensity and mastery of his position led the Ravens to two Super Bowl titles," DeArdo wrote. "He was the best player on the Ravens' historically great 2000 defense that allowed just six points in three playoff games. In 17 seasons, Lewis racked up over 2,000 tackles, 31 interceptions, 41.5 sacks, 19 forced fumbles and 20 fumble recoveries."

There's not much left to say about Lewis that hasn't been said already. He's basically synonymous with the Ravens, and considering how dominant he was throughout his career, that's for very good reason.

Lewis isn't the only Raven to make this list, as defensive back Rod Woodson, who played most of his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers but was a key part of the Ravens' defense from 1998-2001, came in at No. 22.

"One of the greatest athletes who has ever played in the NFL, Woodson excelled during his 17-year career as a cornerback, safety and returner," DeArdo wrote. "The NFL's DPOY in 1993, Woodson made history two years later by becoming the first athlete in a major American professional sport to return to play in the same season after undergoing major knee surgery."

"Five years after that, Woodson played an integral role on the Ravens' historically dominant defense that led Baltimore to its first Super Bowl win. Woodson then reached the Super Bowl with a third team — the Raiders — two years later after leading the NFL in interceptions at age 37."

Quarterback Johnny Unitas, who played for the Baltimore Colts long before the Ravens even existed, also came in at No. 13, just ahead of Lewis.