Aug 16, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh looks on during the second half against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Ravens Might Be NFL’s Defining Team This Century

Originally posted on Baltimore Ravens on SI
By Jon Alfano | Last updated Aug 20, 2025 7:00 AM ET

The NFL has seen some incredible runs throughout the 21st Century, from the New England Patriots' 20-year reign of terror to the Kansas City Chiefs' current dynasty.

The Baltimore Ravens have consistently been one of the NFL's better teams since 2000, but unlike some of their contemporaries, they've enjoyed success with drastically different play styles. From the defensive powerhouses in the early 2000s to the Lamar Jackson-led offensive dynamos of today, they've managed to win in all sorts of ways.

For that reason, The Ringer's Diante Lee believes Baltimore to be the "defining team" of the quarter century, even if they haven't won the most championships.

"The Ravens have had three distinct eras in the past 25 years, from the early-aughts Baltimore teams that featured one of the best defenses in league history, to the Joe Flacco Ravens that caught fire in the playoffs in the early 2010s, to Lamar Jackson’s current squad that’s on the cusp of breaking through in the AFC. Baltimore has been a defining team of this quarter century, but that evolution hasn’t always been easy."

What really set the Ravens apart, at least in Lee's eyes, is their ability to reinvent themselves in so many different ways.

"Rule changes in the mid-2000s opened up the modern passing game in a way the Ravens couldn’t take advantage of since they didn’t have high-level quarterback play," Lee wrote. "As that decade neared its end, it was clear Baltimore needed to pivot.

"Firing [former head coach Brian] Billick, hiring John Harbaugh, and selecting quarterback Joe Flacco in the 2008 draft started a sea change in Baltimore that led the franchise into a new era, building to its championship run in 2012."

The Ravens went three-straight years without making the playoffs in the mid 2010s, but since Jackson took over in 2018, they've been one of the league's most exciting teams to watch. Another championship in the near future would only add to their excellence.

"Jackson gave the Ravens something they never had with Flacco: a quarterback dynamic enough to keep pace with the elite AFC quarterbacks year over year," Lee wrote. "Jackson wasn't just flashing some promise as a pocket passer, he was instantly the most valuable ballcarrier in the organization. The Ravens were evolving in real time, and it was incredibly fun to watch. Jackson has proved himself to be one of the most transformative offensive forces we've ever seen, and essentially as long as he's been healthy Baltimore's been a top-five scoring offense.

"If Jackson and the Ravens can finally get over the hump in the coming seasons, Baltimore would be the only team in the league to have a championship in every decade of the 2000s thus far (New England and the New York Giants are the only other teams who qualify, having also won titles in the 2000s and 2010s)."

This article first appeared on Baltimore Ravens on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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