JONATHAN OGDEN | bmoresportsnest

BALTIMORE RAVEN JONATHAN OGDEN---THE ORIGINAL RAVEN

Jonathan Phillip Ogden (born July 31, 1974) played his entire career with the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and was recognized as a unanimous All-American. He was drafted by the Ravens 4th overall in the 1996 NFL Draft. He was an eleven-time Pro Bowl selection and a nine-time All-Pro.

On February 2, 2013, Ogden was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the first inductee to spend his entire playing career as a Raven.

During the 1996 NFL Draft, Ogden was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round with the fourth overall choice, the first-ever draft pick made by the Ravens. Ozzie Newsome wanted to select Ogden but owner, Art Modell wanted to select the late Lawrence Phillips. Phillips played in 3 NFL seasons and rushed for a career yardage total of 1,453.

He was named a nine-time All-Pro and an eleven-time Pro Bowler at left tackle, earning trips to Hawaii in every season except his rookie year. During his career, Ogden caught two passes – both for one yard and both for touchdowns. He also recovered 10 fumbles, and recorded 10 tackles. Ogden also won a reputation for smiling. "He's a laugher," joked former New York Giants DE Michael Strahan. "You see him, you think to yourself this guy is not mean enough to handle the mean guys out there in the NFL. Jonathan would rip your limbs off, and he'd smile...and wave your arm in front of you." Ogden also threw his helmet in frustration several times.

In 2001, Ogden won a Super Bowl ring with the Ravens when they defeated the New York Giants 34–7 in Super Bowl XXXV. Ogden announced his retirement on June 12, 2008 after a career that spanned 12 seasons, all with Baltimore. His retirement left Ray Lewis and Matt Stover as the last remaining Ravens from the team's inaugural season in Baltimore. At 6' 9", Ogden was tied with fellow Raven Jared Gaither and Bengals tackle Dennis Roland as the tallest player in the NFL at the end of his playing career.

Ogden served as the Ravens' honorary captain at Super Bowl XLVII, which saw his former teammates win their second world championship. (wikipedia)

RICK on JONATHAN OGDEN

The 1996 NFL draft became the first defining moment in the history of the Baltimore Ravens. Sitting at number four, the Ravens had the opportunity to draft an impact player who could potentially be the face of the franchise. On the board was Nebraska running back Lawrence Phillips, a multi-talented star who also had a myriad of off-the-field issues—including domestic assault charges. The Ravens, whose move from Cleveland was still causing negative backlash, chose to avoid being defined by such a controversial figure and instead selected UCLA offensive lineman Jonathan Ogden. This choice set the course for Baltimore’s new NFL team as Ogden set the standard for pass blocking excellence on his way to a Hall of Fame career. His quiet demeanor was a stark contrast to fellow first-rounder Ray Lewis, who became the team’s most prominent superstar, but JO was the unquestioned anchor of the Ravens.

JONATHAN OGDEN AND RAY LEWIS HAD A PACT by Kevin Byrne, Ravens VP--Comm. and PR--- 8/2/13

The Baltimore Ravens have a rock-solid foundation.

Art Modell is a huge part of that bedrock, along with Steve Bisciotti and Ozzie Newsome.

Newsome believes our foundation belongs to Jonathan Ogden, who will be enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame tomorrow night, and Ray Lewis. “I’ve been thinking about this in getting ready for Jonathan’s induction. The Ravens stand on the shoulders of Jon and Ray. It was our good fortune to make these gentlemen the first two players we ever drafted. Of course, Jon was first,” Newsome, who will present Ogden into the Hall, said.

“For 12 years, any player we brought into our franchise we could point to Jon and Ray and say, ‘Do what they do, and you’ll know what it means to be a Raven.’”

We drafted Ogden, who grew up in the Washington D.C. area, just a few months after arriving in Baltimore as a new franchise. We were so new that we didn’t even have a logo yet. When Commissioner Paul Tagliabue announced our pick, the fourth-overall selection in the 1996 draft, Ogden walked on stage wearing a white hat that was too small that had the word “Ravens” scrolled across the front. Since our jerseys hadn’t been designed, Ogden held up a slick black sweatshirt with “Baltimore Ravens” and the NFL shield on the front. The sweatshirt, in Jon’s big hands, looked like it would fit a medium-sized high school player.

Just prior to our pick, Newsome turned to Mr. Modell in our draft room at the old Baltimore Colts’ facility in Owings Mills. “You’re sure you’re OK with this pick? We knew it would come to this,” Ozzie told Art.

(I wasn’t thinking Jonathan Ogden when I heard this. I was dreading Lawrence Phillips, the powerful running back from Nebraska who many draft gurus had us taking. “Please, not Phillips,” I remember thinking. Phillips, now serving a 31-year sentence for assault and other crimes at a California state prison, looked to be a great player, but had already had arrests and problems in college. Phillips had the word “Thug” tattooed across his chest. Nice.

I was hoping for better for the first choice in Ravens history.)

Modell looked back at Oz and said: “If that’s what you want to do, I trust you. It’s your decision.” Newsome then told the room: “We’re taking Ogden.” I was already happy.

JONATHAN OGDEN HIGHLIGHTS

Just a few hours after we drafted Jonathan, I met him. He stood in my doorway and literally filled it. In a world of big men, he was, and still is, physically impressive.

“I ran into Jon the year before, literally,” Ray Lewis said. “We (Miami) played UCLA. We had a lot of NFL players at the ‘U,’ but Jon was more physically impressive than any of my teammates. We watched film of them to get ready for the game, and he stood out. So big, so skilled, and he could run.

“So I knew that the team in Baltimore had at least one special player when they drafted me. And, once I got to know Jon to see how smart he was and how he prepared – wow. He’s rare, really rare – just a complete player. The best linemen I ever faced,” Ray added yesterday when we talked about the Ravens’ first Hall of Famer.

When asked about matching up in practice against Ogden, Lewis laughed. “Hey, Jon and I made a pact early in our careers: you don’t hit me, and I don’t hit you. We barely put our hands on each other. We were like relatives out there. We didn’t have to prove anything to each other or our coaches – and they went along with it. I’d say to Jon: ‘I would have made that tackle,’ and he would say ‘Probably not.’ Then he would say, ‘I got you Ray,’ and I’d laugh and say ‘Maybe.’ But he was probably right.”

Under the bookish professor-like persona Ogden conveys is a fierce competitor.

One of my striking memories of Jon came after a series late in a game in 2002 when we were clinging to a two-point lead. Ogden literally stomped off the field, yanking off his helmet to reveal an angry face under his big Afro. (We had just finished a “three-and-out” with one run for two yards and two incomplete passes.) “Run the ball,” J.O. screamed. “Run the freakin’ ball!” Staring at Head Coach Brian Billick: “Brian, run the damn ball! Pound it!”

Billick didn’t back down. “We ran the ball,” Brian yelled, “and we got two yards.” Ogden stared, and with force, yelled: “Run it behind me!”

All righty then.

Ogden’s first Ravens head coach, Ted Marchibroda, called me into his office during Jon’s rookie season. “I want to show you something,” Ted said. “I’ve coached a long time and haven’t seen a play like this. Watch.”

The video showed quarterback Vinny Testaverde faking a pitch to the left and then, wheeling his body, throwing a short screen pass to running back Earnest Byner on the right. The play was good for about 45 yards. “Pretty good,” I said, not noticing anything too spectacular about it. “Watch Jonathan this time,” the head coach directed.

Ogden was at left guard. When the play started, Jon sprinted left to invite the defense to follow Vinny’s fake pitch. Big No. 75 then changed directions when Testaverde whirled and threw the short pass. At that time, Ogden was behind the line of scrimmage, 15 yards to the left of Byner, who was three or four yards ahead of Jon on the right side. By the time Byner, in full speed, reached the deep safety on that side of the field, Jon stepped in front of Earnest and knocked the safety away. “No big man has ever run like that,” Ted said. It was a marvel and said so much about Ogden: great talent and relentless competitor. A true Raven and our first draft-selected Hall of Famer.