From Muscle Shoals, Alabama, Ozzie Newsome emerged as a trailblazer. From 1974-1977, Newsome played football at the University of Alabama. In our day and age it is customary to see a large number of African-Americans play for Alabama and the other Southeastern Conference schools, but Newsome did it right after the Civil Right Movement of the 1960’s as he was one of the few that took the field. After a four-year career at Alabama, Newsome was drafted in the first round of the 1978 National Football League Draft by the Cleveland Browns. Newsome spent his entire 13-year NFL career with the Browns and he revolutionized the tight end position in the process as he retired with more receiving yards (7,980) than any other NFL tight end before him. After his NFL playing career ended Newsome joined the Browns front office in 1991. When Browns owner Art Modell decided to relocate the franchise to Baltimore following the conclusion of the 1995 NFL season, he took Newsome along with him. The NFL forced Modell to leave the Browns history and name in Cleveland and thus the franchise in Baltimore was called the Ravens.
In Baltimore, Newsome would develop the blueprint for a championship team. The Ravens entered the 1996 NFL Draft with two first-round picks which were used on offensive tackle Johnathan Ogden and middle linebacker Ray Lewis who would be the foundation for the Ravens over the next decade. In the next four years Newsome and the Ravens used their first-round picks on outside linebacker Peter Boulware, cornerbacks Duane Starks and Chris McAlister and running back Jamal Lewis. In the 2000 NFL season the Ravens went 12-4 and earned their first berth in the Super Bowl. The Ravens would go on to win the Super Bowl that season with each player that was drafted by Newsome in the first round between 1996 and 1999 being in the starting lineup for the game. Ray Lewis would go on to be named the Super Bowl MVP.
In 2002, Newsome was named general manager of the Ravens and he became the first African-American to hold that position in the NFL in the process. Newsome has continued to hit it big with his first-round selections for the Ravens which includes current Ravens in outside linebacker Terrell Suggs, defensive tackle Haloti Ngata, and quarterback Joe Flacco. Of the players that Newsome had drafted in the first round for the Ravens since 1996 they have combined to make 52 Pro Bowl appearances. Ogden has already been enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and he will soon have reinforcements from the Ravens coming to Canton in a few years.
After winning the Super Bowl last season Newsome’s wizardry during the NFL Draft was put to the test. After 17 seasons Ray Lewis retired. Safety Ed Reed was a free agent and he signed with the Houston Texans before being released by them and then signing with the New York Jets. Wide receiver Anquan Boldin was traded to the San Francisco 49ers. Center Matt Birk decided to retire. Outside linebacker Paul Kruger was a free agent and he signed with the Browns. Strong safety Bernard Pollard was also a free agent as he would go on to sign with the Tennessee Titans. Each player mentioned was not only a starter, but they were leaders on the Ravens. It would be a tall order to replace them, but Newsome would be up for the challenge.
With all of the defections from last year’s team the Ravens were left for dead by some heading into this season. Since 2004 it has been customary for the defending Super Bowl Champions to host the opening game of the season on the first Thursday night of the season. But due to a scheduling conflict with the Baltimore Orioles, the Ravens started the season on the road against the Denver Broncos who destroyed them 49-27. After starting the season with a record of 3-5, the Ravens are now 8-6 with two games left. The Ravens currently own the final wild card spot in the AFC and they are just one game behind the Cincinnati Bengals for first place in the AFC North.
The Ravens are once again doing it with a rock solid defense that is currently ranked ninth overall in the NFL for total defense. In filling holes this past off-season, Newsome also dabbled into free agency by signing defensive tackle Chris Canty and outside linebacker Elvis Dumervil, but like 2012, Baltimore is getting contributions up and down the lineup. Since their Week 9 road loss to the Browns, the Ravens have only allowed one opponent to score more than 20 points against them. In their victory over the Detroit Lions this past Monday night, the Ravens were unable to score a touchdown, but Ravens head coach John Harbaugh relied on his staunch defense and his special teams. The Ravens intercepted Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford three times. On special teams the Ravens only allowed Lions punt returner Jeremy Ross to gain 26 yards on four punt returns. The icing of the cake was Ravens kicker Justin Tucker who connected on six field goals including the game-winner from 61 yards away in the waning seconds of the game to give Baltimore the 18-16 victory.
For the Ravens, Newsome is the modern day King Midas as everything he touches with the team turns to gold. After Brian Billick was fired as the Ravens head coach following the 2007 NFL season, Newsome hired John Harbaugh as the Ravens head coach and he took some criticism for it being that Harbaugh didn’t have any previous experience as an offensive or defensive coordinator. After Harbaugh was hired Newsome used the Ravens first round pick of the 2008 NFL Draft on Flacco. Since Harbaugh and Flacco came on board the Ravens have made the playoffs in every season since which of course was highlighted by last season’s Super Bowl triumph.
To a man Newsome is one of the most respected men in the Ravens organization. Newsome made Billick’s job easier during his tenure as the Ravens head coach and he has continued to be a terrific grocery shopper for Harbaugh. Newsome was always Modell’s go-to guy when he owned the team and the same can be said about current Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti.
The Ravens final two games of the regular season are against playoff teams from 2012 as they’ll host the New England Patriots this Sunday before finishing up on the road against the Bengals. The Ravens have won their last two games against the Patriots while they defeated the Bengals earlier this season in Baltimore. If the Ravens are able to win out it would mark the third consecutive season in which they have won the AFC North as they are also looking to become the first team since the Patriots of 2003-2004 to repeat as Super Bowl Champions. Since 2006 the Ravens have only had one losing season as they have become one of the cornerstones of consistency in the NFL and for that you can look no further than the man calling the shots in Ozzie Newsome.
Source: Pro-football-reference.com
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