STATEMENTS FROM THE BALTIMORE RAVENS
Below are quotes from several Baltimore Ravens officials on OLB Terrell Suggs, QB Joe Flacco and LB C.J. Mosley.
Executive Vice President & General Manager Eric DeCosta
On OLB Terrell Suggs: "A Raven through and through – he's tenacious, the best of what we want our defenders to be. On the football field, he's a warrior, and he'll fight with everything he has. He overcame injury, dealt with pain and showed toughness like no other. He developed into one of the best team leaders in our history. Terrell is one of our all-time great Ravens."
On QB Joe Flacco: "Joe is the best quarterback in Ravens history. Not only is he talented, but he was clutch for us in the most difficult games against excellent defenses in the loudest and most raucous stadiums. The game and the moments were never too big for Joe. Honestly, he's one of my favorite draft picks ever."
On LB C.J. Mosley: "He has been the face of our defense for a few years. Like he did in our [2018] season finale against the Browns, C.J. made big plays at the right time. We all saw that he's very smart, hard-nosed and talented. His quiet manner did not shield the leadership he gave us on and off the field. We'll miss him, but many of us will always consider him a Raven."
Head Coach John Harbaugh
On OLB Terrell Suggs: "It was an honor to coach Terrell. He's an iconic player who produced for the Ravens for 16 years. And 'Sizz' made it fun. He always brought his big personality, and he always brought a high level of play."
On QB Joe Flacco: "Like Suggs, Joe will be a Ring of Honor member soon after he retires. The big arm, the consistency, the toughness – Joe had it all. What separated him was his calm demeanor in the storm. He handled the chaos that comes with playing quarterback and was at his best for us in the fourth quarter."
On LB C.J. Mosley: "Four Pro Bowls in five years speaks for itself. C.J. is as reliable of a player as any defender we've had. Plus, his leadership by example helped in other ways."
Ozzie Newsome
On OLB Terrell Suggs and QB Joe Flacco: "We don't like to see outstanding players we drafted in the first round leave the Ravens. It's difficult for us and the rest of the Ravens' community. Joe and 'Sizz' are staples of this franchise, part of our foundation. And, they will both be in our Ring of Honor one day. A lot of us have a Super Bowl ring because of what they did for us. We are grateful to them.
"I'll miss those guys at practice. Joe showing off that big arm; 'Sizz' bringing that energy, and yes, even entertainment. They are the best of what a Raven can be. They were reliable, smart, tough and great competitors. They played like Ravens."
On LB C.J. Mosley: "Even though C.J. was only here five years, he'll go down as one of our best defenders ever. Four Pro Bowls in five years – let's start with that. We wanted to keep him, but there's a business side of football, and these things happen with every team. Historically, we're tough, aggressive and smart on defense. C.J. was all of that."
Career Notes on OLB Terrell Suggs
- Baltimore's all-time leader in sacks (132.5), sack yards (-944.5) and forced fumbles (37), Suggs appeared in a franchise-record 229 games (with 213 starts) during his 16 seasons as a Raven. He posted 941 tackles, which are second only to LB Ray Lewis (2,643) in franchise history.
- The 2011 Defensive Player of the Year earned seven Pro Bowls while playing for the Ravens, helping Baltimore capture nine postseason berths and win Super Bowl XLVII.
- Suggs' 132.5 career sacks rank first among active NFL players and tie (Leslie O'Neal & Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor) for 13th most in NFL history. During postseason play, Suggs racked up a franchise record 12.5 sacks, which also rank as the third most in NFL playoff history.
Career Notes on QB Joe Flacco
- The Ravens' all-time leading passer in every major category, Flacco completed 3,499 of 5,670 attempts for 38,245 yards and 212 touchdowns during his 11-year career.
- In 2012, he produced one of the most prolific playoff performances ever by a quarterback en route to earning Super Bowl XLVII MVP honors. During that postseason, he threw 11 touchdowns and zero interceptions, becoming just the second quarterback in NFL history (Joe Montana – 1989) to achieve the feat.
- Flacco holds the NFL record for most career postseason road wins (seven) by a quarterback, and his 106 total victories (including playoffs) tie Falcons QB Matt Ryan for fifth most among quarterbacks since Flacco joined the league in 2008.
Career Notes on ILB C.J. Mosley
- Earning four Pro Bowls in five seasons (2014-18) with the Ravens, Mosley racked up 574 tackles, nine interceptions (one returned for a touchdown), 8.5 sacks, six forced fumbles and six fumble recoveries. His 574 tackles rank fifth in Ravens history and stand as the NFL's fifth most since he entered the league in 2014.
