Ozzie Newsome has been the bedrock of the Ravens franchise since its inception in 1996.
The general manager has guided the Ravens' personnel decisions since the first days in Baltimore – the team has gone through three different head coaches and an ownership change in that time – and he is widely viewed as one of the top front office executives in the NFL.
Newsome, 58, is the NFL's longest-tenured general manager other than Dallas Cowboys Owner and GM Jerry Jones.
As he enters his 19th NFL Draft this week, how much longer does Newsome see himself in his current role?
"I enjoy coming to work every day. This is a job where each day there is something new," Newsome said. "I don't have a bad day at the office. When I do start to have bad days, that's when I will start to walk away."
Newsome pointed to his work with players as one of the aspects he most enjoys about the job. As a Hall of Fame player himself, Newsome is regarded as a mentor by many of players currently on the roster.
He has worked with hundreds of players over the years, and he said he's enjoyed seeing the maturation of current players on the roster like outside linebacker Terrell Suggs, quarterback Joe Flacco and cornerback Chykie Brown.
"I enjoy the players, and I've become a little bit of a life coach, as well as a GM, watching some of these players mature," Newsome said. "I enjoy that aspect of it."
Newsome also still loves the evaluation and preparation leading up to the draft each year. He's a film buff who enjoys the hours studying tape that goes along with setting the board and making picks each spring.
"The draft is only about 25 percent of my whole job," Newsome said. "It's a year-round thing, and I enjoy every aspect."
[
