His opponents say he's the ninth-best player in the NFL, and the best on his team.
But modest Ravens defensive tackle Haloti Ngata doesn't see it that way.
"I don't think I'm the best Ravens player," he said Monday afternoon.
"The way we play together on this defense, we make each other better. I couldn't do what I do without [Terrell] Suggs and Ray [Lewis]. It's the same thing with those guys; they can't do what they do without us. I don't think there is a best player. We have so many good players and that's the recipe to a great defense."
Ngata was the top-rated defensive lineman on the NFL Network's Top 100 Players of 2012 list. He is the third-highest defensive player behind New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis (No. 5) and Dallas Cowboys outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware (No. 6).
The three-time Pro Bowler came in above Suggs (No. 11), Reed (16) and Lewis (20), the players most commonly thought of as leading the Ravens defense amongst fans.
Ngata's viewpoint appears to align more with the fans,*who *voted him as the 38th-best player in the league. They had Lewis at No. 6, Reed at No. 9 and Suggs at No. 21.
Those are the players, among others, that Ngata credits with his seven-year ascension to the top of his position.
"We have leaders like Ray Lewis and Ed Reed and Terrell Suggs, and all the other guys that were here before like Jarret Johnson, Trevor Pryce and Kelly Gregg," Ngata said. "They helped me throughout my years and taught me things. It's due to all those guys."
A "humbled" Ngata said it's an honor to be thought of so highly by his peers.
Asked if he would walk into the locker room with his chest puffed out a bit more, Ngata said, "Heck no!
"I'm not going to brag," he said before joking. "Well I guess if somebody pushes me, I'll tell them, 'Hey, I'm No. 9. Alright?'"
