Arguably the strongest man in the NFL, Haloti Ngata played 13 seasons, including his first nine in Baltimore. The 340-pound defensive tackle helped the Ravens win Super Bowl XLVII and was a key member of Baltimore's legendary defense with Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, and others.
Ngata was a force in the middle as a run-stuffer, but he also made splash plays. The No. 12 pick in 2006, Ngata was dominant from 2009-13, making five consecutive Pro Bowls.
In his second year of Hall-of-Fame eligibility, Ngata is one of 50 modern-era candidates for 2024.
Here's the case for why he should have a gold jacket:
Awards
- Five-time Pro Bowler
- Three-time PFWA All-NFL
- Two-time First-Team All-Pro
- Three-time Second-Team All-Pro
- Super Bowl XLVII Champion
Stats
- 180 games
- 598 tackles, 50 in the playoffs (fourth most by a defensive tackle)
- 32.5 sacks
- 7 forced fumbles
- 5 fumble recoveries
- 5 interceptions (tied for the most by a defensive tackle)
- One of two defensive tackles since 1999 to register two-plus sacks, two-plus interceptions, and two-plus forced fumbles in a season (2014), joining Hall-of-Famer Cortez Kennedy.
- The only defensive tackle in NFL history with multiple seasons with two-plus interceptions.
Signature plays
Starting hot
Ngata started his career with a bang. In his first NFL game, he returned an interception 60 yards against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as he quickly proved he can make a difference.
Sealing the win
Ngata did it all on his interception off Steelers quarterback Ben Rothlisberger, tipping the pass as the line of scrimmage and laying out like Superman for the pick. The play secured an early-season win for the Ravens in primetime.
Laying the hammer
On a third down against the Steelers, Ngata came screaming through the middle to bring down Rothlisberger in the backfield. It was an iconic play in the Ravens-Steelers rivalry as Ngata's blow broke Rothlisberger's nose.
Quotes
"I put Haloti in that group of iconic players that helped us to get where we are as a franchise." – Steve Bisciotti, Ravens Owner
"We were lucky, in my mind, to get Haloti. I'm reminded of the night we drafted him – of the phone calls that I got from some of the people that I have the most respect for in the National Football League – [they] called us and said, 'You just got a great one.' And he lived up to that reputation from the time he stepped on the field in Baltimore. He could dominate from one play to the next, and I think he deserves to be in the Hall of Fame." – Ozzie Newsome, Longtime Ravens General Manager
"He's a phenomenon. He's one of those guys that you have to find out where he's at. I've been around football a long time, but to see that guy's gifts athletically and what he does to destroy offenses, it's really special – definitely when you're playing behind him." – Ray Lewis, Former Ravens LB and Hall of Famer
"He's the best athlete I've ever seen for a man as big and strong as he is." – John Harbaugh, Ravens Head Coach
"I watch a lot of film, and he's a hell of a player. I love the way they play him. I do recognize talent and greatness, and Ngata has a lot of it." – Vince Wilfork, Longtime Patriots DT
"He's a complete defensive lineman. He knows how to stop the run really well, and he can pass rush at the same time. Just blocking him – you have to scheme around him, because he can really go in there and destroy double teams and make it harder to run the football." – Maurkice Pouncey, Longtime Steelers center
"The player Haloti – he was one of the most athletic big men I've ever been around – he played the shade, the three, the five. He could have played linebacker. He is a star, and he was a star when he was playing. He is a star as a person. And the thing that you loved the most about him was he never acted that way. He was just a good dude and a great teammate." – Don "Wink" Martindale, Former Ravens Defensive Coordinator
