Terrell Suggs grew up in the NFL watching Ray Lewis next to him.
He deferred to Lewis as a leader during his early years and grew with him as a teammate by following Lewis' path as one of the preeminent defenders in the NFL.
Now Suggs plans to join Lewis, Hall of Famer Jonathan Ogden and outside linebacker Peter Boulware in an exclusive class of players who have spent their entire careers in Baltimore.
"After you've invested so much in one team, that becomes a bigger part of your career and your legacy," Suggs said minutes after signing his new contract Monday. "I just want to be a lifer."
Spending an entire career in one place is rare in today's era of professional sports. A tight salary cap limits what teams can spend, and it's harder to keep star players like Suggs. Players often chase the biggest contracts on the open market.
Even Baltimore favorites like safety Ed Reed and kicker Matt Stover finished their careers elsewhere after building their resume with the Ravens.
"I've learned the value of the word 'legacy' and being on one team and in one uniform your whole career," Suggs said.
Suggs, 31, is heading into his 12th season and is the longest tenured member of the Ravens. Lewis played 17 years in Baltimore and Ogden lasted 12 seasons before a toe injury forced him to retire.
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, only two defensive players drafted in the past 30 years played at least 16 years in the NFL with the same team: Lewis and Ronde Barber (Tampa Bay). Suggs would become the third if he plays out the length of his contract, which is not a guarantee.
Take a look at what Suggs, Lewis and Ogden accomplished over their lives as Ravens in the infographic below (mobile users tap "View in Browser" at the top of the page).
