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With football season behind us, it’s officially baseball season. Orioles pitchers and catchers report to Sarasota, Florida, on Wednesday to begin spring training, and after reaching the postseason two straight years but failing to win a playoff game, the team faces plenty of questions. Which Orioles player would benefit the most from a standout spring training? After you vote, tell us why in the comments and we might use your take in The Baltimore Sun. The Baltimore Sun reader poll is an unscientific survey in which website users volunteer their opinions on the subject of the poll. To read the results of previous reader polls, click here. View the full article

While the Ravens were likely frustrated watching the Eagles hoist the Lombardi Trophy this season instead of themselves, Baltimore has the roster and coaching continuity to make a run at the title next season. Betting odds suggest as much. DraftKings gives Baltimore +700 odds (wager $100 to profit $700) to win the Super Bowl in 2026, the second-shortest odds of any team in the NFL. The Eagles are the favorite, holding +600 odds to win a second consecutive Super Bowl after dispatching the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. The Chiefs and Bills hold the same odds as the Ravens with +700 odds to win the championship. The Detroit Lions (+900) round out the teams with odds shorter than +1000. Jayden Daniels and the upstart Washington Commanders are listed at +1800 to win the title in the quarterback’s sophomore year. Baltimore is set to return quarterback Lamar Jackson, a two-time NFL Most Valuable Player Award winner, as well as additional standouts on both sides of the ball. Running back Derrick Henry will return next fall, as will tight ends Isaiah Likely and Mark Andrews. Wide receiver Zay Flowers, who missed Baltimore’s postseason games because of an injury, will also be back. Several offensive linemen are slated to return, including center Tyler Linderbaum. Jackson, who finished second to Bills quarterback Josh Allen in MVP voting this year, is the betting favorite to win next season’s MVP Award on DraftKings. He holds +500 odds to win the award, with Allen being listed at +550 and Mahomes at +750. Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow (+750) and Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels (+1000) are the only other players with odds of +1000 or shorter. Defensively, the Ravens are expected to bring back defensive lineman Nnamdi Madubuike, outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy, linebacker Roquan Smith and safety Kyle Hamilton from a group that improved as the 2024 season progressed. Baltimore doesn’t lack star power, and coach John Harbaugh and both his offensive and defensive coordinators (Todd Monken and Zach Orr, respectively) will return next season. The Ravens are built to contend for a Super Bowl in 2025-26, although they’ll need to dethrone a Chiefs team that has won three consecutive AFC championship games. Have a news tip? Contact sports editor Bennett Conlin at bconlin@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/BennettConlin. View the full article

The massage therapists accusing Ravens kicker Justin Tucker of sexual misconduct could have difficulty in suing him or pursuing criminal charges, if they choose to do so, but it’s still important that they came forward, according to legal and mental health experts. Tucker is accused of acting inappropriately with at least nine massage therapists at four luxury spas and wellness centers in the Baltimore area, “exposing his genitals, brushing two of them with his exposed penis, and leaving what they believed to be ejaculate on the massage table after three of his treatments.” The incidents, first reported by The Baltimore Banner, are alleged to have occurred between 2012 and 2016. Tucker has denied the allegations, calling them “unequivocally false.” Lawsuits must typically be filed within three years of the occurrence in question. There are some limited exceptions for extra time if evidence is found later that no reasonable person could have discovered by the filing deadline, according to Thomas J. Maronick Jr., a local defense attorney not involved in the case. “One of the most difficult areas of this for any attorney is trying to find a way around the statute of limitations,” Maronick said. “You really have to have a good reason as to why no suit was filed sooner.” Nonetheless, the therapists could still file a civil lawsuit based on the conduct Tucker is accused of exhibiting and its alleged contribution to creating an uncomfortable workplace environment for the women. “Under any circumstances, he allegedly was doing things that were totally inappropriate, and the allegation that they didn’t want to work with him at all, if that were true, that’s clearly something they could sue Tucker and/or the establishments,” Maronick said. “There could be a lot of potential lawsuits particularly if the establishments knew about it or should have known about it and didn’t take appropriate action. It seems as though the establishments took action and removed the therapists from working on him.” Michael Belsky, an attorney representing some of the massage therapists, declined to comment. Many victims of sexual misconduct come forward not for compensation, but because they want the issue to be exposed and for people to know about what happened to them, according to David Ellin, a local plaintiff attorney who is not involved in the case. “We hear that all of the time from clients: ‘I want this out there because I want to make sure this doctor doesn’t do this again, this salon doesn’t do this again, this driver doesn’t do this again,'” Ellin said. LaKeita Carter, CEO of the Institute for HEALing in Owings Mills, said the women showed courage by coming forward with the allegations because they were opening themselves up to scrutiny and making public what was, if true, a difficult time in their lives. It can be challenging to make allegations against a likable high-profile person, Carter said. The general public often doesn’t believe victims, she added. “Every allegation might be [viewed as] false,” Carter said. “Tucker is a beloved Baltimore Raven because he is the best kicker in the history of the NFL. People feel like they know him. They feel like they can trust him. That’s what also makes the allegation hard to come forward with.” One accuser who said she gave Tucker massages at the QG massage center said she feared going public with allegations against such a popular figure. “I’ve never been in a situation like that before,” the former massage therapist told The Baltimore Sun. “I didn’t want to be the first one. A friend told me, ‘You’ll be the most hated woman in Baltimore.’” Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Josh Allen’s NFL MVP win over Lamar Jackson stirs debate: ‘He was robbed’ Baltimore Ravens | How Bills QB Josh Allen beat out Ravens QB Lamar Jackson for NFL MVP Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ex-Ravens Suggs and Yanda are Hall of Fame worthy, but not yet | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Bills QB Josh Allen wins NFL MVP Award over Ravens QB Lamar Jackson Baltimore Ravens | Former Ravens Terrell Suggs, Marshal Yanda fall short of 2025 Hall of Fame enshrinement She continued: “He was a high-end client. … I really needed the job, I was a single mother. I made good money there. I was young and naive.” Holly Ann Schiff, a clinical psychologist at South County Psychiatry in Rhode Island, said that for many victims, speaking out can provide relief from something that has burdened them for some time. Speaking out may also give others the courage to come forward, something that creates a larger conversation, she said. Coming forward also can help provide a sense of psychological closure and to let go of any lingering guilt or shame that might have kept them from sharing their story earlier. For some, “they are finally releasing the weight of the secret they have been carrying,” Schiff said. “They are also reclaiming their voice and their story, which can be quite empowering. Coming forward is also part of the healing process. Sharing their truth can validate their experiences, help emotionally resolve some trauma and offers the opportunity to feel less isolated and actually acknowledged by others.” Have a news tip? Contact Todd Karpovich at tkarpovich@baltsun.com or on X as @ToddKarpovich. View the full article

When Josh Allen was named NFL Most Valuable Player for the 2024 regular season Thursday night at the league’s annual awards show, it came as a surprise to many. While the Buffalo Bills quarterback entered the night as the betting favorite to take home the award for the first time, Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson was considered a strong candidate to win it a second straight time and third overall following a record-setting year. In the closest race since Matt Ryan beat out Tom Brady in 2016, Allen got 27 first-place votes to Jackson’s 23. Allen also finished third on one ballot, and Jackson was fourth on another, but that had no impact on the winner. For the past 11 seasons, being named the AP first-team All-Pro quarterback — as Jackson was last month — was a prelude to winning the MVP award. But this marked just the third time since the AP started handing out the award in 1961 that a player won at least a share of the MVP after not being voted first-team All-Pro. The debate between Allen and Jackson was already contentious among both Ravens and Bills fans, and that boiled over Thursday night and into Friday when fans, players and media members learned the results. Here’s a sample of some of the reaction: Josh Allen “I was pretty surprised, yeah,” Allen said at his news conference Thursday night. “Given what we know about how typically voting goes. Lamar was very deserving of this award as well. I’ve got nothing but love and respect for his game. He’s a great steward of the game, and every time we share a field, I’m very fortunate to be mentioned in the same breath as him.” Jonathan Ogden, former Ravens left tackle and Hall of Famer “I get it,” Ogden told TMZ. “Cause [Josh] is a great quarterback, he hadn’t won one — Lamar had two. And they’re like, ‘Let’s just give him one.’ “But that’s the wrong reason. But it’s all good. What are you going to do? But they made the wrong choice. But that’s all good. “I don’t want it to sound like I’m hating on Josh because the brother is a tremendous quarterback. But he didn’t have the year Lamar had.” Rashod Bateman, Ravens wide receiver “He was robbed. He was robbed,” Bateman said on a podcast with NBC Sports ahead of Super Bowl 59 in New Orleans. “I hope I don’t get in trouble for this … It’s definitely more behind-the-scenes of what’s going on. That’s just the world we live in. Because it’s night and day. Lamar was All-Pro, and he doesn’t win MVP? “He had him beat in every category, so like, bro, what are we looking at? Even if he was my teammate or wasn’t my teammate, it’s like, bro, what are we looking at? “Respect to Josh, we all know that he’s an amazing player. But, I mean, when you’re watching the game and looking at the numbers, what are we valuing to give these people the accolades and make it feel earned and deserved? Right now it’s just handed out everywhere.” Robert Griffin III, former NFL quarterback “There is no reason for a MVP Voter and All-Pro Voter to split their votes on Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen,” Griffin posted on X. “If you voted Josh Allen as the MVP, he should have gotten the 1st team All-Pro vote. “If you voted Lamar Jackson 1st team All-Pro, he should have gotten the MVP vote too. “Splitting the vote and explaining value vs better makes zero sense because if it’s about value then Patrick Mahomes would in MVP every year. Mahomes is the most valuable player to his team.” Torrey Smith, former Maryland star and Ravens wide receiver “I’d like to start a petition to remove Jim Miller’s MVP voting privileges,” Smith posted on X. “Choosing Josh over Lamar, crazy but understandable. “Having Lamar Jackson at 4th place….CRIMINAL!” Mina Kimes, ESPN analyst and MVP voter “It was a dead heat. It was extremely close,” Kimes said on ESPN’s “NFL Live” from New Orleans. “The only wrong take on MVP is that it was obvious between these two guys, because it was not obvious and it came down to the wire. “I will say, the reason why I voted for Lamar really quickly: 4,000 passing yards, 900 rushing yards, first quarterback to ever do that. Almost broke the record for [single-season] passer rating. Played a harder slate of defenses and then in their head-to-head matchup came out on top [35-10 in Week 4]. That was the difference for me. “I know with the Bills, people point to Allen being more valuable because of the pieces around him … I do think people underrate how good that [Bills] offensive line is. I do take that into consideration. But like I said, this was very close.” Dan Orlovsky, ESPN analyst, former NFL quarterback and MVP voter “The Bills were the No. 2 seed. Josh had a 40-touchdown, 8-turnover, 14-sack season,” Orlovsky said on ESPN’s “Get Up” on Friday. “The Bills didn’t have an elite defense. The Bills had a very good run game, not a great run game. They didn’t have elite perimeter players in any regard. The way that Josh played this season, and the different style that he played, brought tremendous value to their football team. “Lamar’s season was absolutely sensational. He was probably the best player in football this year; or Ja’Marr Chase; or Saquon Barkley. But value, and how much you impact your team, who you do it with and who you do it against — that’s where I thought Josh Allen had the upper hand.” Dominque Foxworth, ESPN analyst, Maryland graduate and former NFL cornerback In reply to Orlovsky on ESPN’s “Get Up”: “I’m glad we have Dan here to defend him and the people who did this but it does feel like you’re trying to split the baby. You don’t got the heart to say what you actually want to say. I think both of them had MVP-caliber seasons, but it feels like you are trying to find some little semantics trap door. You can give this to him and that to them, because you don’t actually want to say what you really want to say. “This is the semantics foolishness that we do. This is what you do. You say ‘value’ and the cool thing about value gives us on these shows a way to argue because you can twist it and turn it any way you want. Normally, MVP means ‘who is the best damn dude in the league’ and to me, obviously, Josh Allen had an MVP-caliber season, but the best damn dude in the league this year was the guy who was first-team All-Pro.” Emmanuel Acho, Fox Sports host, former NFL player and MVP voter “It’s the Most Valuable player,” Acho posted on X. “Not the “best player,” that’s the All Pro. “Not the “best damn dude award,” that’s made up. “Not the “most outstanding player,” that’s the Heisman.” Jordan Schultz, Fox Sports NFL Insider “I was digging through last night’s voting results, and I still can’t wrap my head around this — someone actually had Lamar Jackson fourth on their MVP ballot. Fourth?! That’s beyond ridiculous,” Schultz posted on X. “There might not be a clearer sign of voter fatigue than that.” Lindsay Jones, The Ringer staff writer/editor and MVP voter “Ultimately, this year it came down to the two quarterbacks, and it felt impossible to choose,” Jones wrote in a piece for The Ringer explaining her reasoning for splitting her vote between All-Pro and MVP. “I am confident that (a) both Jackson and Allen were deserving of the league’s highest individual honor, and (b) MVP is not strictly an award for the best quarterback, so voting one of them for All-Pro didn’t mean he automatically had to be my MVP. The phrasing of “Most Valuable” is extremely vague, and open to plenty of interpretation of what it actually means. To me, the MVP award is open to narrative considerations, a player’s career arc, the roster decisions made around him, and expectations for any particular season, in a way that — again, to me — All-Pro voting is not. In considering (and considering and considering) Jackson vs. Allen, I opened myself up to the possibility that some great quarterback plays and moments carried more weight than others this season. … So splitting my ballot was my way of acknowledging that Jackson played quarterback better than anyone this season, while Allen was the defining, and yes, most valuable, football character of the regular season.” Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Justin Tucker accusers face legal headwinds, but it’s important they came forward, experts say Baltimore Ravens | How Bills QB Josh Allen beat out Ravens QB Lamar Jackson for NFL MVP Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ex-Ravens Suggs and Yanda are Hall of Fame worthy, but not yet | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Bills QB Josh Allen wins NFL MVP Award over Ravens QB Lamar Jackson Baltimore Ravens | Former Ravens Terrell Suggs, Marshal Yanda fall short of 2025 Hall of Fame enshrinement Aaron Schatz, FTN Fantasy writer and MVP voter “My All-Pro Ballot article included a long discussion of why I voted for Lamar Jackson over Josh Allen as my first-team All-Pro quarterback. The short version is that while many advanced stats had the two players neck and neck, DVOA and DYAR had Jackson with a clearly more valuable season,” Schatz wrote. “I’m open to arguments that Jackson has better teammates and therefore Allen has to do more to carry his team, but I don’t know how valid they are. Yes, I’m about to vote for Derrick Henry for Offensive Player of the Year (spoiler alert) but James Cook is also very good. The Ravens probably have better receivers than the Bills, but they don’t really have great receivers or a deep receiver room. The Ravens and Bills were third and fourth, respectively, in ESPN’s pass block win rate, so that doesn’t seem like a big difference between the teams. Maybe the difference in teammates makes up a small gap in DYAR, but this was a much larger gap.” Justin Penik, Jomboy Media host “Lamar Jackson just had one of the most unique and awesome QB seasons we’ve ever seen and didn’t win MVP simply because voters probably didn’t want to give him the award on back to back years and preferred to give it to a first time winner? Pretty sure majority of the NFL world would agree Lamar deserved it,” Penik posted on X. The Associated Press contributed to this article. Have a news tip? Contact sports editor C.J. Doon at cdoon@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/CJDoon. View the full article

NEW ORLEANS — For the past 11 seasons, being named the AP first-team All-Pro quarterback was a prelude to winning the NFL’s MVP award. There was some logic to that with quarterbacks providing the most value to a team and the same panel picking the All-Pro team and all of the awards. There was a rare flip this year with Buffalo’s Josh Allen narrowly edging Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson in the MVP voting announced Thursday night after finishing second in All-Pro voting revealed last month. This marked just the third time since the AP started handing out the Most Valuable Player award in 1961 that a player won at least a share of the MVP after not being voted first-team All-Pro. (The AP had a Most Outstanding Player award from 1957-60 and those winners also were first-team All-Pros). So how did it happen this season. The All-Pro votes Let’s start with the All-Pro votes where Jackson had the edge. He received 30 of the 50 first-team All-Pro votes from a national panel of media members and 19 second-place votes. Allen got 18 first-place and 24 second-place votes, while Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow got the last two first-place votes, along with nine second-place votes. What switched for MVP? Several voters viewed the MVP vote differently. While Jackson and Allen finished 1-2 on 48 of the 50 ballots (Burrow and Saquon Barkley each got one second-place vote), Allen had the edge when it came to the top spot, gaining nine additional first-place votes from the All-Pro team with Jackson losing seven. Allen also finished third on one ballot, and Jackson was fourth on another, but that had no impact on the winner. Allen finished with 383 points based on scoring that gives out 10 points for a first-place vote, followed by five, three, two and one for the last four spaces. Jackson had 362 points. How did Offensive Player of the Year play a role? The AP also has several other awards, including Offensive Player of the Year. While that award has been given to non-quarterbacks the last five seasons, Jackson garnered significant support there. He finished second to Barkley in that voting and got 12 first-place votes to the one for Allen, who came in sixth. Nine of the voters who picked Jackson as the top offensive player chose Allen as MVP, accounting for almost all of the switched votes from the All-Pro team. Jackson became the first player to finish second in both awards since Drew Brees in 2018. Has this happened before? There were two other seasons when a player won MVP after not being a first-team All-Pro. In 2003, Peyton Manning was the first-team All-Pro but shared the MVP with Steve McNair, who finished second in All-Pro voting. Voters only selected first-place in the voting back then and both quarterbacks got 16 MVP votes after Manning had a 28½-16½ edge in All-Pro voting. It also happened in the 1987 season with John Elway winning MVP after finishing second to Joe Montana in All-Pro voting. There were 84 MVP votes that season and San Francisco had two candidates drawing support after Jerry Rice set an NFL record with 22 TD catches despite one game getting canceled because of a player strike and Rice sitting out three games with replacement players. Elway also sat out all three replacement player games, while Montana crossed the picket line and played in two of them. Elway got 36 votes for MVP, followed by Rice with 30 and Montana with 18. View the full article

Two of the Ravens’ greatest players missed out Thursday night on being named Pro Football Hall of Famers. That’s OK, because while both will make it at some point, neither was worthy of being chosen on the first ballot. That should be reserved for players who revolutionized their position, changed the game schematically or took the NFL to new heights. Neither Suggs nor Yanda did that. “Absolutely, both will get in,” said former Ravens star Jonathan Ogden, the most dominant left tackle in the history of the game and first-ballot entry in 2013. “When you look at what they meant to the game, to the Ravens organization and how they dominated, it is inevitable.” Suggs not being chosen was disappointing because of his overall body of work, but he didn’t change the position like Hall of Fame outside linebacker Lawrence Taylor. The former New York Giants star made the game miserable for left tackles by lining up on their outside shoulder. He changed the way tackles would cheat in their stance by dropping their outside leg back, which is why there are still so many illegal formation calls in the league. That’s impact. Former Ravens middle linebacker Ray Lewis changed the game because he could run sideline to sideline. Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders had an impact because he could shut down one side of the field and no quarterback challenged him. Neither Suggs nor Yanda were in that class. Ogden was because he was a freak athlete at 6 feet 9 and 345 pounds and could run as well as any guard. Once he locked into his pass set and got one hand on you, it was over. Suggs has the criteria to make it to Canton, Ohio. He was the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2003 (12 sacks, six forced fumbles) despite starting only one game and the Defensive Player of the Year in 2011 (70 tackles, 14 sacks). Suggs finished with 139 sacks, which is eighth all-time. The resume looks good, but it’s not first-ballot material. “Of the two players, Suggs and Yanda, Suggs had the most impressive resume, and that happens with defensive guys,” Ogden said of Suggs, whose last season with the team was in 2018. “When he was the Defensive Player of the Year, no one was more deserving. Sizzle had the ability to learn and improve.” That’s important and one of the things overlooked about Suggs. He was a showman who loved to clown around in the locker room, from turning up his music too loud to hijacking late owner Art Modell’s and current owner Steve Bisciotti’s golf carts. His Darth Vader impersonations never got old, and neither did his fake fights in training camp with former outside linebacker and roommate Jarret Johnson. On the field, he was always studying. He spent his first couple of years learning his trade from Lewis, a first-ballot Hall of Fame selection in 2018, and outside linebacker Peter Boulware, who held the team’s all-time sacks record with 70 until Suggs came along. The difference between them was that Boulware had such speed off the edge, which Suggs could match, but Suggs had amazing strength. He could stop instantly, switch directions and throw offensive linemen. Suggs commanded respect from opposing quarterbacks such as Pittsburgh’s Ben Roethlisberger and New England’s Tom Brady, but he didn’t win seven Super Bowl titles like Brady or carry the NFL into the household of average citizens like quarterback Johnny Unitas did with the Baltimore Colts in the 1958 championship game against the Giants. Granted, there is no Joe Namath, who pulled what some still consider the greatest upset in league history, in this 2025 class, but they wouldn’t get my vote either. I need something special like former Colts and Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning, not his younger brother Eli, who was on the ballot for the first time. Suggs was great, just not a lock. There weren’t too many in this current class. “The first couple of days here as a rookie, I said, ‘Dude, you have to redefine your game,’” Ogden said of Suggs, whose resume also includes seven Pro Bowl selections, two All-Pro selections and two Super Bowl titles. “Suggs was like 20 years old, maybe the youngest guy in the league. He matured and learned a lot playing with the other leaders on the team. And that’s why he eventually became a top leader.” Is that enough to make him a first-ballot Hall of Famer? He was a great player, but my standards are higher. Karl Merton Ferron/The Baltimore SunFormer Ravens guard Marshal Yanda was inducted into the Ravens Ring of Honor in 2022. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Yanda’s personality was far less entertaining, but his game was almost as dominant. Unlike Suggs, who was a first-round pick (No. 10 overall) in 2003, Yanda was a third-round pick out of Iowa in the 2007 draft. In his rookie season, he played in all 16 games and started nine. In 2016, he was selected the 37th-best player in the NFL by his peers, which was exceptional for a guard. Yanda was all business. He smiled occasionally, but the focus always seemed to be on football. In 13 seasons, he started 166 of 177 games. He was called for holding only 11 times and had just 28 false start penalties. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | How Bills QB Josh Allen beat out Ravens QB Lamar Jackson for NFL MVP Baltimore Ravens | Bills QB Josh Allen wins NFL MVP Award over Ravens QB Lamar Jackson Baltimore Ravens | Former Ravens Terrell Suggs, Marshal Yanda fall short of 2025 Hall of Fame enshrinement Baltimore Ravens | Ravens GM’s wife supports Trump’s order excluding trans athletes from women’s sports Baltimore Ravens | Ravens fans wrestle with allegations of inappropriate behavior by superstar kicker Justin Tucker He was twice selected as a first-team All-Pro, made eight Pro Bowl teams and was a starter on Baltimore’s most recent Super Bowl championship team in 2013. Yanda’s game was finesse, and he learned that from his coach at Iowa, Kirk Ferentz, who coached the Ravens’ offensive line in 1997 and 1998. Ferentz also coached current Ravens center Tyler Linderbaum at Iowa. With Ferentz, the game was always about tenacity and consistency. That’s vintage Yanda. Unfortunately, the last guard to get in on a first-ballot entry was Dallas’ Larry Allen in 2013. “Larry Allen was so dominant, so strong, he mashed people,” Ogden said. “He was Larry Allen. I wasn’t Larry Allen.” Neither was Yanda. He wasn’t Gene Upshaw or John Hannah either, both guards who were voted in during their first year of eligibility. Upshaw, a former Raiders star, could pull and run as well as any lineman in the league. Hannah might have been the Allen of his day. “For an undersized guard, Marshal Yanda had great toughness, grit and perseverance,” Ogden said. “He helped lead that offensive line to the Super Bowl with Joe Flacco. “Eventually, both Suggs and Yanda will get in. They were some of the best ever at their positions.” It’s true, but first-ballot players? Nah, but it will happen eventually. Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun. View the full article

Josh Allen edged out Lamar Jackson again. Nearly three weeks after the Bills quarterback led Buffalo to a victory over the Ravens in the divisional round of the playoffs to end Baltimore’s season, Allen was named The Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player for the first time Thursday night. He edged out Jackson, who won the award during the 2019 and 2023 seasons, Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow and Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff. It marked the first time that the AP first-team All-Pro quarterback, which Jackson was named last month, didn’t win the award since 2012, when Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson was named NFL MVP over Denver Broncos star Peyton Manning. Allen received 27 of 50 first-place votes, while Jackson got 23 in the closest MVP race since Matt Ryan beat out Tom Brady in 2016. Allen received 22 second-place votes and one third to finish with 383 points. Jackson got 26 second-place votes and one fourth for a total of 362 points. “I feel like my teammates wanted this more for me than I did, but I’m very honored,” said Allen, who was drafted in the 2018 first round alongside Jackson. Jackson also lost out on NFL Offensive Player of the Year honors, finishing second to Barkley after the former New York Giants star rushed for 2,005 yards — 100 shy of Eric Dickerson’s league record — in his first season in Philadelphia. Barkley received 35 of the 50 first-place votes. Jackson got 12 first-place votes. The 28-year-old Jackson became the first quarterback in NFL history to pass for at least 4,000 yards and rush for at least 900 in the same season. He set career highs in passing yards (4,172), touchdown passes (41), yards per attempt (8.8) and passer rating (119.6). He also had a career-low four interceptions and led the Ravens to a 12-5 record and the AFC North title. But when it came to being named MVP for a third time, voters instead gave the nod to Allen, 28, for his own gaudy season. Allen, who led the Bills to a 13-4 record, the AFC East title and to the AFC championship game before narrowly losing to the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, threw for 3,731 yards and 28 touchdowns with a career-low six interceptions. He also ran for 531 yards and 12 scores on 102 carries. A runner-up for the award in 2020 to then-Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and in 2023 to Jackson, Allen perhaps had his MVP moment in a snowy December blowout of the San Francisco 49ers in which he threw two touchdown passes and ran for a score, catching a lateral from wide receiver Amari Cooper before diving over the pylon for a touchdown. Jackson, meanwhile, had no singular, defining moment, though he had plenty of eye-popping highlights. The most indelible perhaps came during a Christmas Day romp over the Texans in Houston, in which he broke Michael Vick’s NFL record for career rushing yards by a quarterback with 87 yards on four carries and accounted for three touchdowns, including a 48-yard run on which he reached a career-high top speed of 21.25 mph, per Next Gen Stats. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, left, and Bills quarterback Josh Allen embrace after an AFC divisional round playoff game at Highmark Stadium on Jan. 19 in Orchard Park, New York. (Al Bello/Getty Images) Some also undoubtedly viewed Allen as having done more with less when comparing him with Jackson. After signing former All-Pro running back and two-time NFL rushing leader Derrick Henry in the offseason, Baltimore became the first team to rush for at least 3,000 yards and pass for at least 4,000 in the same season. Henry’s 1,921 yards rushing were second-most in the league and his 18 total touchdowns (16 rushing, 2 receiving) tied for second-most. Henry’s 5.9 yards per carry were also a career-high and came in his age-30 season, all of it helping propel him to finishing fourth in the balloting for Offensive Player of the Year, an award he took home in 2020 after rushing for 2,027 yards and 17 touchdowns. He received one first-place vote, finishing behind Barkley, Jackson and Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase. Baltimore’s offense was loaded with plenty of other talent, too, including Pro Bowl wide receiver Zay Flowers (74 catches, 1,059 yards, 4 touchdowns), tight ends Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely and receiver Rashod Bateman, whose nine receiving touchdowns were second on the team to only Andrews’ 11. By comparison, Buffalo did not have a 1,000-yard receiver, no player had more than five touchdown catches and running back James Cook’s 1,009 yards rushing ranked 16th in the league — though his 18 total touchdowns tied with Henry behind only Detroit Lions back Jahmyr Gibbs. Still, Jackson was often at his best against the best during the regular season, which is what the awards are based upon. Of the 10 playoff teams the Ravens faced in 2024, they beat seven of them. Two of the losses came at the hands of the Eagles and Chiefs, who will meet in Super Bowl 59 on Sunday in New Orleans. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | How Bills QB Josh Allen beat out Ravens QB Lamar Jackson for NFL MVP Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ex-Ravens Suggs and Yanda are Hall of Fame worthy, but not yet | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Former Ravens Terrell Suggs, Marshal Yanda fall short of 2025 Hall of Fame enshrinement Baltimore Ravens | Ravens GM’s wife supports Trump’s order excluding trans athletes from women’s sports Baltimore Ravens | Ravens fans wrestle with allegations of inappropriate behavior by superstar kicker Justin Tucker But Jackson is also the only multiple-time winner of the MVP Award to have never reached a Super Bowl, and only once has he gotten as far as the AFC championship game. Had he won the award for a second straight year, he would have become just the seventh player to be named MVP at least three times. The other six are all current or future members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame: Manning (five), Rodgers (four), Brady (three), Brett Favre (three), Johnny Unitas (three) and Jim Brown (three). Jackson also would have joined Favre as the youngest players to win three MVPs. But the Ravens quarterback has long dismissed individual honors, saying several times through the years — including on the night Baltimore drafted him with the 32nd overall pick in 2018 — that he only cares about winning a Super Bowl. While he’ll have to wait yet another year for another attempt at getting to his first, there’s at least little doubt about his place within this team. Said Ravens coach John Harbaugh late in the season: “He’ll always be my MVP, I promise you that.” Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. Here are the winners from NFL Honors on Thursday night: AP NFL MVP: Josh Allen, Buffalo AP NFL Coach of the Year: Kevin O’Connell, Minnesota AP Assistant Coach of the Year: Ben Johnson, Detroit AP Offensive Player of the Year: Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia AP Defensive Player of the Year: Patrick Surtain II, Denver AP Offensive Rookie of the Year: Jayden Daniels, Washington AP Defensive Rookie of the Year: Jared Verse, Los Angeles Rams AP Comeback Player of the Year: Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Walter Payton Man of the Year: Arik Armstead, Jacksonville View the full article

Terrell Suggs and Marshal Yanda were integral members of the Ravens’ 2012 Super Bowl team and racked up a litany of accolades during what were long and storied careers in the NFL. But when it comes to being bestowed with the game’s highest individual honor, they will, for now, have to wait. Though both were among this year’s 15 finalists for the 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame Class, neither was selected for enshrinement Thursday night. Instead, four players — defensive lineman Jared Allen, wide receiver Sterling Sharpe, cornerback Eric Allen and tight end Antonio Gates — were chosen for this year’s class, which will be inducted this August in Canton, Ohio. As for Suggs and Yanda, both of whom were in their first year of eligibility, it is at most only mildly surprising that at least one of them did not get in. Suggs was the 2011 NFL Defensive Player of the Year and ranks eighth on the all-time sack list. The seven players ahead of him — Bruce Smith, Reggie White, Kevin Greene, Julius Peppers, Chris Doleman, Michael Strahan and Jason Taylor — are already all in, so it figures only a matter of when, not if. In addition to being the 2003 Defensive Rookie of the Year, a first-team All-Pro in 2011 and a seven-time Pro Bowl selection, Suggs was a stout run defender and had at least 10 sacks in seven of his 17 years in the league. Terrell Suggs was the 2011 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) By comparison, Taylor, who was enshrined in his first year of eligibility in 2017, played 15 seasons, had a half-sack more than Suggs and was selected to six Pro Bowls. Yanda’s case isn’t as glaring, as is usually the case when it comes to offensive linemen and especially for those on the interior. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | How Bills QB Josh Allen beat out Ravens QB Lamar Jackson for NFL MVP Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ex-Ravens Suggs and Yanda are Hall of Fame worthy, but not yet | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Bills QB Josh Allen wins NFL MVP Award over Ravens QB Lamar Jackson Baltimore Ravens | Ravens GM’s wife supports Trump’s order excluding trans athletes from women’s sports Baltimore Ravens | Ravens fans wrestle with allegations of inappropriate behavior by superstar kicker Justin Tucker The last guard to get into the Hall of Fame on his first try was Larry Allen in 2013. He was a six-time first-team All-Pro selection, 11-time All-Pro, chosen for the NFL’s All-Decade Team for the 1990s and 2000s as well as its 100th Anniversary All-Time Team and won a Super Bowl with the Dallas Cowboys. Still, there’s a strong case for him to get in at some point. Yanda was twice a first-team All-Pro, a five-time second-team All-Pro and was chosen to the Pro Bowl in eight of his last nine seasons. He was also a unanimous choice on the NFL’s All-Decade team for the 2010s and versatile enough that he was able to seamlessly move from right guard to left guard after hurting his lead blocking shoulder in 2016. But with a wide-open class of parity, it ultimately became difficult to get the 80% of votes needed for enshrinement — for now. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

When President Donald Trump signed an executive order Wednesday banning transgender athletes from participating in girls’ and women’s sports, he had at least one prominent Ravens fan cheering the change. Lacie Litz DeCosta, the wife of Ravens general manager and executive vice president Eric DeCosta, took to social media to show her support. “It’s a great day for Women’s sports!” she wrote on the social media platform X. “Trans women are women. Trans girls are girls,” Ravens editorial director Ryan Mink responded in a thread. “Ryan Mink we don’t have to agree. I have played sports my entire life. I was an All American lacrosse player. Many girls don’t see this as a trans issue but a fairness issue. I will always fight for fairness when it comes to girls in sports,” Lacie Litz DeCosta said. DeCosta, a Baltimore native, played lacrosse in college at Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Virginia, where she earned All-American status in 1998, per the university. DeCosta was a former Ravens employee herself when she met Eric DeCosta, who was a talent scout at the time. They married in 2001 and have three children. Though Lacie Litz DeCosta is no longer employed by the Ravens, she remains active in the sports world. On X, she said in response to another commenter that she gives annually to her college’s lacrosse team and a scholarship at her high school in her family’s name. The George G. Litz Memorial Lacrosse Scholarship Award Fund at Maryvale is named after her father and benefits a student lacrosse player annually, according to Maryvale’s website. The Baltimore Ravens did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens fans wrestle with allegations of inappropriate behavior by superstar kicker Justin Tucker Baltimore Ravens | READERS RESPOND: Eagles or Chiefs? Here’s who fans are picking to win Super Bowl 59. Baltimore Ravens | Ravens headline NFL Honors show, from Jackson and Henry to Suggs and Yanda Baltimore Ravens | If Ravens decide to release Justin Tucker, here’s when they might do it Baltimore Ravens | Ravens announce contract extension for offensive coordinator Todd Monken Responses to the post among fans were divided. Some expressed dismay, with posts saying “ohhh this is sad to see as a fan” and “Being transphobic ain’t a great look Ravens PR can’t sweep this one under the rug.” Others agreed with DeCosta, with one fan saying, “As a father of 2 GREAT young ladies…..it is indeed a GREAT day!!!” Another wrote: “IT’S A BEAUTIFUL DAY FOR WOMEN’S SPORT!!” The executive order signed by Trump on Wednesday, coinciding with National Girls and Women in Sports Day, referred to trans women as men and barred them from competing in women’s sports in schools receiving federal funding under Title IX. The order stated that any schools receiving federal funds that allow trans women to compete will have the funds revoked. The executive order said that allowing trans women to compete with cisgender women was “demeaning, unfair, and dangerous to women and girls, and denies women and girls the equal opportunity to participate and excel in competitive sports.” In response to the executive order, the NCAA on Thursday changed its participation policy and banned trans women from competing in women’s sports. Fewer than 10 transgender athletes competed last year in the NCAA, the college sports association’s president, Charlie Baker, told Congress in December. Have a news tip? Contact Racquel Bazos at rbazos@baltsun.com, 443-813-0770 or on X as @rzbworks. View the full article

Has a kicker ever meant more to an NFL city? Justin Tucker arrived in Baltimore in the spring of 2012, as the city was still reeling from a missed field goal and a lost trip to the Super Bowl for its beloved Ravens. The Houston transplant drove field goal after field goal his first season, until he and his teammates celebrated a championship under confetti rain in New Orleans. That would have been enough to cement Tucker as a hero in his new hometown, but he kept getting better. Over 13 seasons, he made field goals at a higher rate than anyone in NFL history, including a record 66-yarder to pull out a miracle win in Detroit in 2021. Tucker, now 35, wasn’t just the guy who split the uprights with superhuman efficiency. He was the telegenic pitchman who peddled Royal Farms chicken during every other commercial break, the amateur opera belter who sang “Ave Maria” at a Catholic Charities Christmas Festival to raise money for adults with intellectual disabilities, the romantic who won fans’ hearts and his girlfriend’s (now wife) with his candlelit proposal atop Baltimore’s Four Seasons Hotel. Those images of Tucker are incongruous with recent allegations by nine massage therapists of inappropriate sexual behavior from Tucker between 2012 and 2016. The Baltimore Banner reported last month that six massage therapists, who worked for four high-end spas around the Baltimore area, had accused the Ravens kicker of “exposing his genitals, brushing two of them with his exposed penis, and leaving what they believed to be ejaculate on the massage table after three of his treatments.” Three more therapists subsequently accused Tucker of inappropriate behavior in interviews with The Baltimore Sun and The Banner. Tucker called the allegations “unequivocally false” in a statement posted on X, and his attorneys told The Banner it was “unremarkable” and “not news” that his genitals might have been exposed during massage sessions. Tucker’s denials did not make it any easier for fans to process the allegations. “You want to like the guy,” said Carson Green, a Ravens fan who grew up in Catonsville and lives in Frederick. “And my reaction is: Why would six people lie, with pretty detailed reports all lining up?” Like many, Green struggled to square the star kicker who’s entwined in the fabric of Baltimore sports with the person described in the accounts of alleged misbehavior. “It’s really hard to hear,” Green said. It’s a cognitive dissonance that arises whenever a beloved athlete suddenly becomes the subject of ugly headlines. “In addition to just feeling sad about it, you feel kind of betrayed,” said Bob Dorfman, a San Francisco-based sports marketing analyst. “It’s a guy you’ve liked and followed for years, a local institution. You’re seeing him in commercials all the time locally, he seems to be a good Catholic — one of those players who crosses himself before he kicks, a family man, all of those things. So you develop a trust. You feel like he’s a friend. And then you hear something like this, and you just feel cheated. It definitely hits harder.” Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | If Ravens decide to release Justin Tucker, here’s when they might do it Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ Justin Tucker faces more allegations of inappropriate conduct Baltimore Ravens | Ravens kicker Justin Tucker denies allegations of ‘inappropriate behavior’ at high-end spas Of all the Ravens, Tucker has been here longest, the last remaining member of the 2012 team that swept to an unexpected Super Bowl championship. He was the fresh-faced rookie kicker from Texas, undrafted and mostly unknown until he started driving footballs through the uprights again and again in clutch moments. From there, he became perhaps the greatest ever to practice his craft, filling Baltimore with provincial pride when he was profiled on “60 Minutes,” with reporter Jon Wertheim asking: “Since when have you heard this kind of swooning over a kicker?” Commentators spoke of him as the rare kicker who’d breeze into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Tucker’s No. 9 jersey became almost as familiar a sight at M&T Bank Stadium as Ray Lewis’ No. 52 or Lamar Jackson’s No. 8. He spoke with heart on sleeve about what that bond with the public meant to him. Before the Ravens hosted the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship game last season, Tucker said: “I’m getting to play in my hometown stadium, where my home is. Getting to play for a championship in that way is really, really special.” In denying the accusations against him, he touched on his reputation around town, writing: “I have always made a conscious effort to be considerate and respectful in all of the interactions with the community that I love so much.” Over the past week, online discourse has run the gamut, with some fans urging the Ravens to cut ties with Tucker immediately and others arguing he deserves the benefit of the doubt given his denials and the fact that he currently faces no criminal or civil charges. Justin Tucker celebrates after making a field goal against the Bengals in 2019. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff file) Radio host Cordell Woodland, who has talked about the allegations on his 105.7 “The Fan” show, said the majority of fans who have called in believe the reports and want to see Tucker released if the stories are found to be true. Others ask, “Why now?” Woodland said, because the nine therapists who have spoken out all said Tucker’s alleged inappropriate behavior happened years ago. “One of my callers pointed out how Tucker is a very likable guy, which makes the story tough to believe,” Woodland added. “Which is probably something that a lot of fans are struggling with, separating the guy they root for every week from the guy that may have done all these awful things.” Some fans believe Tucker’s denials precisely because they don’t think the allegations fit the figure they’ve observed over the past 13 years. “That guy seems like just a straight-and-narrow guy,” said Eric Cuppett, of Perry Hall. “I don’t know where to go with it.” Cuppett added that his view could change if more information comes to light. “I mean, if it’s true, these women need justice, and he needs to be punished,” he said. “If it [is found to be] true, I feel like he should be cut. I mean, there is no tolerance for that kind of behavior.” Kathleen Cahill, a Towson-based attorney who handles sexual harassment and misconduct cases, described herself as a “huge Ravens fan” and former Tucker fan but said it’s important for the public to understand the courage it took for the kicker’s accusers to speak out against a prominent hometown figure. “It is a very complicated and ongoing experience that they’re subjected to,” Cahill said, noting the potential for doxxing and the unlikelihood of financial benefit given the statutes of limitations in the case. “Hats off to these women. These are important stories to tell.” The Ravens’ Justin Tucker is considered by many to be the greatest kicker ever. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) It’s too early to know whether Tucker will face legal actions from his accusers. Whether he’ll face discipline from the NFL after Commissioner Roger Goodell said this week that the league will look into the “serious” allegations against him. Whether he’ll ever again kick for the Ravens, who said in a statement they “take any allegations of this nature seriously and will continue to monitor the situation.” If past cases are instructive, answers to some of these questions might not come for months. What seems clearer is that Tucker’s legacy in Baltimore will never again be as uncomplicated as it was before last week. Eight days before allegations against Tucker were made public, Ravens coach John Harbaugh recounted a conversation he’d had with the kicker as they reviewed a difficult 2024 season in which Tucker made a career-low 73.3% of his field goal attempts. “We had a great conversation yesterday, a really long, honest conversation, and it was great, because we talk all the time, and he’s really a good guy, a mature guy, a thoughtful guy,” Harbaugh said. “Maybe we all saw that Justin Tucker is human. Maybe we got a chance to see that. It’s hard to be a great kicker in this league and be as consistent as he’s been, and he ran into that — this adversity — probably a lot later in his career than most of these guys do, but it’s something that probably had to happen in terms of his growth as a player and even as a performer.” What Ravens fans would give to go back to that time, when they could simply debate Tucker’s chances to regain his effectiveness as a kicker. Talking about him is more difficult now. It’s apparent in the pained pauses as fans search for the right words, in the fact many don’t want to talk about this story at all, at least not for publication. One phrase kept coming up again and again as they took to Reddit, X and Facebook to share their feelings: “This hurts.” Baltimore Sun reporters Jacob Calvin Meyer and Matt Weyrich contributed to this article. Have a news tip? Contact Childs Walker at daviwalker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6893 and x.com/ChildsWalker. View the full article

We asked readers who will win Super Bowl 59 between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday in New Orleans. Here are the results from our online poll: Philadelphia Eagles — 65% (201 votes) Pass rush — 35% (107 votes) Here’s what some fans told us (answers have been edited for clarity and grammar): With apologies to the late, great Jim Croce, picking the Eagles would be akin to tugging on Superman’s cape while simultaneously spittin’ into the wind. It’s once again the Chiefs’ game to lose. — Laurence Berbert The Baltimore Sun reader poll is an unscientific survey in which website users volunteer their opinions on the subject of the poll. To see results from previous sports polls, go to baltimoresun.com/sportspoll View the full article

It was two days before Christmas and Lamar Jackson’s name was percolating again in the NFL Most Valuable Player conversation. The Ravens quarterback had just come off a five-touchdown performance against the New York Giants, had tossed three more touchdown passes against the Pittsburgh Steelers and was about to play his third game in 11 days in which he would tally three more scores against the Houston Texans in a blowout victory for Baltimore. Asked before that Houston game what another MVP Award would mean to him, Jackson said it would be “dope” but that he had bigger goals on his mind, specifically getting to and winning a Super Bowl. On Sunday, the Kansas City Chiefs will instead try to win their third straight Super Bowl title when they play the Philadelphia Eagles after the Ravens’ season flamed out in a divisional round loss to the Buffalo Bills. Still, Jackson will likely bring home some hardware from New Orleans during Thursday night’s NFL Honors, which is when the league’s major awards will be handed out and the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2025 — with a pair of homegrown Ravens, outside linebacker Terrell Suggs and guard Marshal Yanda, among the finalists — will be announced. After passing for a career-high 4,172 yards and a franchise-record 41 touchdowns with just four interceptions and leading the Ravens to a 12-5 record along with a second straight AFC North title, the All-Pro is the favorite to be named NFL MVP again. He does have competition, though. Bill quarterback Josh Allen, Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow and Detroit Los quarterback Jared Goff are the other finalists. Should Jackson win, it would be his third award since 2019 and second straight after becoming the first player in league history to pass for at least 4,000 yards and rush for at least 900 in the same season. He would also become just the seventh player to win it at least three times. The others are all current or future members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame: Jim Brown (1957, 1958, 1965), Johnny Unitas (1959, 1964, 1967), Brett Favre (1995, 1996, 1997), Peyton Manning (2003, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2013), Tom Brady (2007, 2010, 2017) and Aaron Rodgers (2011, 2014, 2020, 2021). All, of course, have something Jackson does not: an NFL championship. Still, that doesn’t diminish what was a sterling and often spectacular individual regular season for which the award is based. Simply put, Jackson was perhaps the game’s most dynamic and electric player. As he went, so did Baltimore. Jackson had the second-most touchdown passes and sixth-most passing yards in the league and led all quarterbacks in rushing yards. He also had the league’s highest touchdown rate (8.6%), became the first player to lead in yards per pass attempt (8.8) and yards per rush (6.6), and his passer rating of 119.6 led the league while ranking fourth all-time. He accounted for at least three touchdowns in nine games and threw at least four touchdown passes in three. He also rarely turned the ball over, especially down the stretch, with just one interception and one lost fumble over the Ravens’ final six games as they rallied from two games back of the division lead with four to play. Perhaps that’s why Ravens coach John Harbaugh was so bullish on Jackson before the season even started. “The vision that we have together is that Lamar Jackson is going to become and be known and be recognized as the greatest quarterback ever to play in the history of the National Football League,” he said in July. “That’s the vision. It’s going to happen by Lamar, his work ethic and his brilliant talent, by all of us pouring into that effort together as a team, and by the grace of God and God’s goodwill. That’s how it’s going to happen. And I believe it like we’ve already seen it.” Ravens running back Derrick Henry, right, ran for nearly 2,000 yards this past season and is a candidate for Offensive Player of the Year. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) After Jackson’s impressive season, it’s no wonder then that he is also among the finalists for NFL Offensive Player of the Year, along with teammate and running back Derrick Henry. Together, they formed perhaps the league’s most dangerous backfield, with the Ravens becoming the first team in league history to pass for at least 4,000 yards and run for at least 3,000 in the same season. Baltimore’s 7,224 total yards ranked third in NFL history, and its 426.5 yards per game and 6.8 yards per play led the league. Henry was a major factor. His 16 rushing touchdowns tied for the most in the NFL, his 17 total scores were the second-most in the league behind only the Lions’ Jahmyr Gibbs, and his 1,921 rushing yards were the second-most in the NFL behind only Barkley, who is also up for Offensive Player of the Year along with Burrow and Bengals receiver Ja’Marr Chase. Should Henry, 31, win, it would be his second time doing so. He was Offensive Player of the Year in 2020 when he became just the eighth player to top 2,000 yards rushing in a season, finishing with 2,027 yards and 17 touchdowns to lead the NFL. This year, though, Barkley added his name to the 2,000-yard club, finishing with a league-best 2,005 on an NFL-high 345 carries. His 125.3 rushing yards per game also led the league to go along with 15 total touchdowns (13 rushing, 2 receiving). Ravens vs. LionsKenneth K. Lam/Baltimore SunFormer Ravens outside linebacker Terrell Suggs was NFL Defensive Player of the Year and ranks eighth on the all-time sack list. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) Jackson and Henry are the Ravens’ present. Suggs and Yanda, both Hall of Fame finalists in their first year of eligibility, contributed a combined 29 years of steady excellence to the franchise’s past. Both were key members of the Ravens’ 2012 Super Bowl team, and though they were different personalities — Suggs often the most jocular figure on the practice field, Yanda more apt to hide his sly sense of humor beneath a stoic exterior — they ended up as locker room neighbors and mutual admirers. Suggs’ Hall of Fame case is not difficult to make. He was the 2011 NFL Defensive Player of the Year and ranks eighth on the all-time sack list. The seven players ahead of him and the three behind him have busts in Canton. And Suggs wasn’t some one-dimensional burner off the edge. He became a tough run defender and wily deterrent to all screen passes. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | If Ravens decide to release Justin Tucker, here’s when they might do it Baltimore Ravens | Ravens announce contract extension for offensive coordinator Todd Monken Baltimore Ravens | Ravens fan caught in viral video assaulting Commanders fan pleads guilty to assault charges Baltimore Ravens | READER POLL: Who will win Super Bowl 59? Baltimore Ravens | Ranking Ravens free agents: Which key players could return in 2025? It’s always harder for offensive linemen, especially those who play on the interior. No guard has made the Hall of Fame on his first try since Larry Allen in 2013. But Yanda made the Pro Bowl in eight of his last nine seasons (he played just two games the year he missed) and, in the ultimate sign of respect, was a unanimous choice on the NFL’s All-Decade team for 2010 to 2019. Yanda was so good and so versatile that when he hurt his lead blocking shoulder in 2016, he simply switched from right guard to left guard without missing a beat. His last year was Jackson’s first MVP season in 2019. “Watching him on film and how he approached the game, the type of guy he is and leadership he showed, I believe nobody else deserves it more than him,” the quarterback said of his former protector’s Hall of Fame candidacy. Neither Suggs nor Yanda is a no-brainer, first-ballot pick like the three previous homegrown Ravens — Jonathan Ogden, Ray Lewis and Ed Reed — to make it. Voters saw unusual parity in this year’s finalists, with linebacker Luke Kuechly, kicker Adam Vinatieri and quarterback Eli Manning also among the first-time candidates, along with returning contenders such as tight end Antonio Gates, defensive end Jared Allen and wide receiver Torry Holt. That might make it difficult for the usual five modern-era candidates to obtain the required 80% of votes. Longtime Baltimore broadcaster Scott Garceau, who has been the city’s representative in the 49-member Hall of Fame voting body for more than 20 years, expects both Suggs and Yanda to make it eventually. “But this is as wide-open a class as I’ve ever seen,” Garceau cautioned. “There are a whole bunch of good guys. I don’t think there’s anywhere you say, ‘That guy’s a lock.'” Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. Contact Childs Walker at daviwalker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6893 and x.com/ChildsWalker. Karl Merton Ferron / Baltimore SunFormer Ravens guard Marshal Yanda is a Pro Football Hall of Fame finalist. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) View the full article

Justin Tucker is still the Ravens’ kicker. It remains to be seen whether it stays that way after at least nine therapists from five Baltimore area spas and wellness centers accused him of inappropriate behavior between 2012 and 2016. The accusations include Tucker “exposing his genitals, brushing two of them with his exposed penis, and leaving what they believed to be ejaculate on the massage table after three of his treatments,” The Baltimore Banner reported. In response to the reports, a spokesperson from the Ravens said, “We are aware of The Baltimore Banner’s story regarding Justin Tucker. We take any allegations of this nature seriously and will continue to monitor the situation.” Likewise, the NFL said it is aware of the allegations and is looking into them. Tucker has denied the allegations. While it’s still unclear what potential punishment the 35-year-old might face from the league or the team, one possibility could be that the Ravens decide to release him. If they do, it’s also possible that they wait until the start of the new league year on March 12. Because Tucker has no post-June 1 designation, waiting until then to do so would allow Baltimore to spread his $7.51 million salary cap hit for 2025 over two seasons, with a $2.87 million hit this year and a $4.64 million hit in 2026. According to Over The Cap, the Ravens are projected to have just $17.1 million in salary cap space for 2025. Regardless of Tucker’s situation, the team is already tight on space, with free agency and the draft looming, among other roster decisions that will impact its cap space. Cutting ties with Tucker would also wipe his $4.2 million non-guaranteed salary for 2025 from the books. While it is uncertain what the Ravens will ultimately decide, they have been down a similar path before as have other teams. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens announce contract extension for offensive coordinator Todd Monken Baltimore Ravens | Ravens fan caught in viral video assaulting Commanders fan pleads guilty to assault charges Baltimore Ravens | READER POLL: Who will win Super Bowl 59? Baltimore Ravens | Ranking Ravens free agents: Which key players could return in 2025? Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ Justin Tucker faces more allegations of inappropriate conduct In 2014, Baltimore released running back Ray Rice after a video surfaced of him punching his future wife in an Atlantic City casino elevator. Rice was also suspended indefinitely by the league before eventually being reinstated, though he never played in the NFL again. In 2022, quarterback Deshaun Watson was traded from the Houston Texans to the Cleveland Browns in the midst of being investigated over numerous lawsuits in which more than 20 women alleged that he committed sexual misconduct during massage therapy sessions. The league eventually suspended Watson for 11 games and fined him $5 million, with Watson denying the allegations and reaching confidential settlements with most of his accusers. As for Tucker, he also had his worst season on the field this season, making a career-low 73.3% of his field goal attempts. Still, the Ravens expressed their intention of bringing him back. “I think he finished the season strong,” general manager Eric DeCosta said at the team’s season-ending news conference last month before the allegations came to light. “I think I have every expectation that Justin’s going to be a great kicker for us next year and moving forward.” Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

The Ravens made it official Monday. Offensive coordinator Todd Monken has signed a contract to remain in Baltimore, the team announced. The news comes after the deal had been previously reported last week. Terms were not disclosed. It was also not a surprise after the Ravens finished the regular season as the NFL’s top offense for the first time in what was Monken’s second year. Baltimore was also the first team in league history to throw for at least 4,000 yards and run for at least 3,000 in the same season and racked up the third-most total yards in history in a single season. Quarterback Lamar Jackson also flourished, putting together his best season. The NFL Most Valuable Player candidate threw for a career-high 4,172 yards and franchise record 41 touchdowns against just four interceptions. He also ran for 915 yards and four more scores, becoming the first player in NFL history to pass for at least 4,000 yards and rush for at least 900 yards in the same season. Monken, who will turn 59 on Wednesday, drew interest for a second straight year in head coaching openings from around the league, interviewing with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Chicago Bears, before being passed over. His return, however, is significant. Coach John Harbaugh said during the Ravens’ season-ending news conference that while he believes Monken will be a “great” head coach, being able to keep him would be important for the continuity and growth of the offense. “It would be very meaningful if and when we get him back, and we continue [moving] forward,” Harbaugh said last month. “I really am excited about 3.0, that iteration of this offense going forward.” In Monken’s two seasons, the Ravens have averaged the second-most yards (397.6) and points per game (29.4) in the league during that span. This season, Baltimore was first in yards per game (424.9) and yards per play (6.8) and third in points per game (30.1). “He’s a really good football coach. He’s an old-school football coach with kind of a new-school and creative mind. [He’s] always creating,” Harbaugh said. “Todd is one of those guys that can apply his experience, along with the fact that he’s always thinking ahead. He’s always trying to come up with the next idea, and then he’s also very much a collaborator.” Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens fan caught in viral video assaulting Commanders fan pleads guilty to assault charges Baltimore Ravens | READER POLL: Who will win Super Bowl 59? Baltimore Ravens | Ranking Ravens free agents: Which key players could return in 2025? Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ Justin Tucker faces more allegations of inappropriate conduct Baltimore Ravens | Ravens reportedly hire Georgia Tech DC Tyler Santucci as linebackers coach That wasn’t the only announcement. The Ravens also made official the hiring of Tyler Santucci as their linebackers coach after the move was reported by the NFL Network on Saturday. He replaces Mark DeLeone, who was let go after just one season last month in the first change to Harbaugh’s staff this offseason. Santucci, 36, joins Baltimore from Georgia Tech, where he spent last season as defensive coordinator/linebackers coach after being the defensive coordinator at Duke and co-defensive coordinator at Texas A&M. Under Santucci, the Yellow Jackets improved from 74th to 58th in ESPN’s SP+ efficiency rankings and allowed roughly five fewer points and 100 fewer yards per game from the year before and Georgia Tech also improved from 131st in run defense to 30th last season. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

A Ravens fan who was caught on video assaulting three Washington Commanders fans last fall in Federal Hill has pleaded guilty to three counts of second-degree assault, Baltimore State’s Attorney Ivan Bates announced Monday. John W. Callis, 24, was indicted in October on one count of first-degree assault and three counts of second-degree assault, offenses that carry a maximum punishment of up to 55 years’ imprisonment. Video of the attack went viral and was a key piece of evidence against him. In a statement on Monday, Bates called the behavior “abhorrent.” Callis, who spent 105 days in jail, was sentenced to 10 years in prison — all of which was suspended, except for the time he’s already served behind bars, and five years of supervised probation. Callis must also pay $4,000 restitution to his victims, complete 90 Alcoholics Annonymous meetings, attend anger management classes and perform 100 hours of community service. “There is never a scenario in which violence is acceptable in our city. Today’s outcome clearly conveys that my office will not tolerate hate-filled acts,” Bates said in the statement. “The victims in this case have shown tremendous courage, and we hope this resolution provides them with a sense of justice and closure.” Callis’ attorneys did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday. His attorneys had previously asked the court to release him so he could undergo drug and alcohol treatment. They said their client had been on a weekslong alcohol and cocaine binge at the time of the Oct. 13 confrontation with Commanders fans. Scott Richman, an attorney for one of the victims, released a statement condemning the “vicious assault:” “These actions and resorting to violence are totally unacceptable in our society,” Richman said. “I thank the State’s Attorney’s Office and the Court for recognizing the seriousness of these attacks, and the effect these types of incidents have on our community. I hope this guilty plea and sentence gives the victims some sense of closure and allows them to move on with their lives.” Have a news tip? Contact Frank Gluck at fgluck@baltsun.com. View the full article

The big game is nearing. The Kansas City Chiefs are looking to make history by becoming the first team in NFL history to win three straight Super Bowl titles, while the Philadelphia Eagles are seeking their first title since Nick Foles shocked Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in Super Bowl 52. Who will win on Sunday in New Orleans? After you vote, tell us what you think by clicking the comments button and we might publish your take in The Baltimore Sun. The Baltimore Sun reader poll is an unscientific survey in which website users volunteer their opinions on the subject of the poll. To read the results of previous reader polls, click here. View the full article

The sting of the Ravens’ turnover-filled divisional round playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills still undoubtedly lingers. The troubling allegations against kicker Justin Tucker have cast a dark cloud over one of the franchise’s most recognizable faces and the organization itself. From a football standpoint, the operation moves forward concurrently. There have been assistant coaching changes. Baltimore has signed 11 players to reserve/future contracts. There are scouting and player personnel discussions and decisions. There’s the scouting combine this month, free agency in March and the draft in April. Among the many tasks for general manager Eric DeCosta and coach John Harbaugh are figuring out which of their free agents they would like to — and can afford to — keep. In all, Baltimore has 23 free agents of some kind, with nearly 20 of them set to be unrestricted. But with currently just over $5.8 million in salary cap space — a number that will increase after cuts and restructuring contracts — the Ravens likely won’t be big players on the open market and will have to be selective with their free agents as well. They are also slated to have 11 draft picks, further limiting what they can do in the open market. Though DeCosta made it clear that much of the nucleus of the team will remain intact and thus he doesn’t face “as many tough decisions” as a year ago or after next season, choices of who stays and who goes will have to be made. With that in mind, here’s an attempt to rank who the Ravens’ top 10 free agents will be: 1. Left tackle Ronnie Stanley Stanley, who will turn 31 in March, is easily the Ravens’ top free agent and would be one of the top players available on the open market. After an injury-hampered 2023 season that included a significant step back in his performance, he rebounded. The 2016 sixth overall draft pick didn’t miss a game, allowed just two sacks and ranked 12th in pass-rush win rate among tackles, per ESPN analytics. Translation: He’ll get a healthy raise in 2025. Last season, Stanley was the 16th-highest-paid left tackle in the NFL, according to Over The Cap, after taking a pay cut and earning $7.5 million. By comparison, the top 10 highest-paid left tackles all earned at least $18 million last season. And even if Stanley were to fall outside that range, he could be prohibitively expensive. The next highest-paid left tackle above Stanley was the Miami Dolphins’ Terron Armstead, who made more than $12.8 million. Simply put, Stanley could be let go, particularly with the progress right tackle Roger Rosengarten made his rookie year and with what the team feels is the ability to play either tackle spot. 2. Fullback Patrick Ricard Ricard is a five-time Pro Bowl selection and two-time All-Pro, including this past season. He has also been an integral and versatile part of the offense, playing fullback, tight end and essentially offensive line. The good news for Baltimore is that only about half the teams in the league even roster a fullback, so that limits his market value. The bad news is that he is still a pricey luxury. Last season, Ricard made $4 million and was the third-highest-paid fullback in the league. He said that he’d like to spend his career in Baltimore and retire a Raven. He’ll also turn 31 in May. Offensive lineman Patrick Mekari, left, is due for a pay raise this offseason. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) 3. Offensive lineman Patrick Mekari Speaking of versatility, Mekari has played everywhere on the Ravens’ offensive line. That included at left guard this past season, where he became a full-time starter a month into the season and settled in as a mostly solid performer for much of the year, especially as a pass blocker. While he was less effective as a run blocker, the 27-year-old still helped pave the way for the NFL’s top rushing attack. He also allowed just one sack and played all 17 regular-season games for the second straight year after dealing with a back injury earlier in his career. After making $4.85 million in 2024, Mekari will be in line for a bump. 4. Linebacker Malik Harrison Harrison took a small step back in 2024 after a solid 2023, particularly in his pass coverage. Still, he had some standout performances, most notably with his career-high 13 tackles against the Los Angeles Chargers in November. The 2020 third-round pick also can play inside or outside linebacker and is a core special teamer. Harrison won’t have a big market, though, and is the kind of low-cost, versatile player the Ravens like. He turns 27 in March. Ravens cornerback Brandon Stephens tries to intercept a pass against the Bengals. Stephens struggled this season and could be replaced as he enters free agency. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) 5. Cornerback Brandon Stephens In 2023, Stephens moved from safety to starting cornerback and blossomed. Last season, teams were targeting him (and having success). Coaches lauded the 2021 third-round pick for being sticky but acknowledged that he struggled to locate the ball in coverage — and that was a problem. Although Stephens, 27, was once considered an extension candidate before the end of his rookie deal, Tre’Davious White was eating into his snaps by the end of the season. DeCosta said that Stephens will have a chance to test the open market. Put another way, it’s uncertain he’ll be back. 6. Cornerback Tre’Davious White A trade deadline day acquisition that cost basically nothing, White was a solid depth piece and Band-Aid to Stephens’ struggles. The 30-year-old veteran played just 152 snaps on defense (34%) and had 10 tackles and three pass breakups and could return if the cost is right. 7. Quarterback Josh Johnson The Ravens won’t be spending any significant money on a backup, so that could mean that Johnson, who will turn 39 in May, could be back. Importantly, he’s also something of a big brother and a second set of eyes for Lamar Jackson. There isn’t going to be much of a market for him, either. 8. Defensive lineman Brent Urban A respected veteran who provides dependable depth to the Ravens’ defensive line rotation, Urban has said that he’d like to return for what would be his 11th season. Coming off a one-year deal in which he made just over $1.34 million, the 33-year-old is the kind of low-cost contributor the Ravens like to have around. Wide receiver Tylan Wallace has become a valuable special teams player while contributing in the passing game. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) 9. Wide receiver Tylan Wallace Wallace lost his punt return job after a game-winning return in 2023, but on offense, he also filled in nicely and made some clutch catches. The 2021 fourth-round pick played 275 snaps on offense — which was more than his first three years combined — and finished with 11 catches for 193 yards and a touchdown. The 25-year-old also contributed 268 snaps on special teams. It would not be surprising to see him return and perhaps even get another crack at punt returns. 10. Offensive lineman Josh Jones Jones provided veteran depth along the offensive line, usually as a sixth or seventh man. The 27-year-old also contributed some on special teams. While he was never really in the mix for any of the three openings going into training camp last summer, his return could help given some potential turnover up front this year. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens’ Justin Tucker faces more allegations of inappropriate conduct Baltimore Ravens | Ravens reportedly hire Georgia Tech DC Tyler Santucci as linebackers coach Baltimore Ravens | Former Ravens RB Ray Rice named JV football coach at Milford Mill Baltimore Ravens | How might the NFL handle allegations against Ravens kicker Justin Tucker? Baltimore Ravens | Who is Justin Tucker? What you need to know about Ravens kicker Other unrestricted free agents: 11. Wide receiver Nelson Agholor 12. Linebacker Chris Board 13. Linebacker Kristian Welch 14. Offensive lineman Ben Cleveland 15. Wide receiver/returner Deonte Harty 16. Wide receiver/returner Steven Sims 17. Cornerback Trayvon Mullen 18. Wide receiver Diontae Johnson 19. Safety Marcus Williams Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

Editor’s note: This article includes graphic details that may not be appropriate for all readers. Another massage therapist has come forward sharing with The Baltimore Sun her allegations that Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker had behaved inappropriately during massage sessions. The woman outlined salacious details about Tucker to The Sun Thursday, much like several unnamed massage therapists told The Baltimore Banner. “People started messaging me, ‘Oh my God … you were right,’” a former Baltimore massage therapist told The Sun on Thursday about the incident she said occurred in 2015. “I feel vindicated.” As of Saturday, reports from at least nine therapists from five local wellness centers included details of Tucker “exposing his genitals, brushing two of them with his exposed penis, and leaving what they believed to be ejaculate on the massage table after three of his treatments,” The Banner reported. The alleged incidents occurred between 2012 and 2016, The Banner reported. Tucker, the most accurate kicker in NFL history, issued a statement last week categorically denying the allegations. “I have never before been accused of misconduct of any kind, and I have never been accused of acting inappropriately in front of a massage therapist or during a massage therapy session or during other bodywork. I have never received any complaints from a massage therapist, have never been dismissed from a massage therapy or bodywork session, and have never been told that I was not welcome at any spa or other place of business,” Tucker wrote in his statement. A representative for Tucker’s agent, Robert Roche, said in an email to The Baltimore Sun that “Justin’s statement remains the one he posted on X on Thursday.” The Ravens, who along with the NFL have said they are investigating the allegations, could not be reached for comment about the new allegations on Saturday. The 37-year-old woman, who asked not to be named given the allegations involved sexual misconduct, told The Sun that she had given Tucker massages on several occasions. She said the first massage was at the Baltimore Spa and Salon at The Ritz-Carlton Residences, which has since closed and been replaced by another wellness center, and then at the Quinntessential Gentleman, known as QG, in downtown Baltimore. The woman, who now lives in West Virginia, said she had given Tucker massages a couple of times at the Baltimore Spa before going to work at QG, where she happened to run into the NFL star. He recognized her, she told The Sun, and asked to be put on her schedule, often receiving massages from her twice a month. “It started with him exposing himself to me,” she said, despite her asking him to wear underwear during sessions. Then one time, the woman told The Sun, as she was massaging Tucker while he was face down on the table, she noticed “his buttocks tightening, and he shook a little.” He said, ‘Can I go to the bathroom?’ I said, ‘Sure,’” she said. She noticed that there was fluid on the table. The woman said she told the manager about his behavior and was told he would be assigned to other staff. But when she learned a 19-year-old massage therapist would be assigned to Tucker, she said “absolutely not” and continued taking him on as a client. The final straw, she said, was when Tucker was on the table and started touching her leg. “He was erect. He laid face down, and his hand reached up on my inner thigh,” she told The Sun. She said she ended the session and left the room. She typed up a statement about the interaction. The woman did not provide the statement to The Sun. She was fired shortly after writing the letter and didn’t contest the termination because she was “pretty fed up” by then with the physically taxing work, she told The Sun Thursday. QG owner Craig Martin declined to comment Friday and could not be reached for comment on Saturday. Michael Belsky and Catherine Dickinson, attorneys with Schlachman, Belsky, Weiner & Davey, confirmed to The Baltimore Sun that their firm represents six therapists involved in these allegations. Belsky and Dickinson are adjunct law professors at the University of Baltimore in sex abuse litigation and trial advocacy. “My clients are happy to have their voices heard,” Belsky said “At this point, they are just glad that their stories have been told.” The massage therapist told The Sun that she didn’t go public at the time, fearing she would not be believed against one of the most popular pro athletes in the city. “It would be me against the king of Baltimore,” she said. Now, she said she is proud that the other massage therapists came forward and plans to join a lawsuit against Tucker. “I feel like there’s going to be strength in numbers,” she told The Sun. “I’m so happy we can band together, and we can be sure he never harms another woman.” Have a news tip? Contact Jean Marbella at jmarbella@baltsun.com, 410-332-6060 and on X as @Jean_Marbella. Contact Todd Karpovich at tkarpovich@baltsun.com or on X as @ToddKarpovich. View the full article

The Ravens are pulling from the college ranks to fill a hole on their coaching staff. Baltimore is hiring Georgia Tech defensive coordinator Tyler Santucci as its linebackers coach, the NFL Network reported Saturday. He replaces Mark DeLeone, who was reportedly let go last week in the the first change to coach John Harbaugh’s staff this offseason. Santucci, 36, joined the Georgia Tech staff last year as defensive coordinator/linebackers coach after being the defensive coordinator at Duke and co-defensive coordinator at Texas A&M. He immediately helped improve the Yellow Jackets’ defense, which rose from 74th to 58th in ESPN’s SP+ efficiency rankings and allowed roughly five fewer points and 100 fewer yards per game compared with the previous season. Georgia Tech also went from 131st nationally in rushing defense in 2023 to 30th in 2024 and from 108th in third-down defense to 22nd. In his one season at Duke in 2023 under coach Mike Elko, the Blue Devils had the nation’s 16th-best scoring defense, allowing just 19 points per game. Santucci was a nominee for the 2023 Broyles Award, which honors college football’s top assistant coach. A former All-American linebacker at Stony Brook and a Pennsylvania native, Santucci previously spent three seasons alongside Elko at Texas A&M, serving as linebackers coach from 2020 to 2022 and as co-defensive coordinator in 2022. He has also coached linebackers at Wake Forest (2019) and Texas State (2016), served as a defensive analyst at Notre Dame (2017) and Texas A&M (2018), spent two seasons as a graduate assistant at Wake Forest (2014-15) and four seasons on the staff at his alma mater, Stony Brook (2010-11). Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Former Ravens RB Ray Rice named JV football coach at Milford Mill Baltimore Ravens | How might the NFL handle allegations against Ravens kicker Justin Tucker? Baltimore Ravens | Who is Justin Tucker? What you need to know about Ravens kicker Baltimore Ravens | Ravens kicker Justin Tucker denies allegations of ‘inappropriate behavior’ at high-end spas Baltimore Ravens | READERS RESPOND: Ravens or Orioles? Here’s who fans think will win a title first. Santucci reportedly turned down several coaching opportunities at power conference programs this offseason before being lured away by the Ravens. He’ll inherit a group of linebackers led by three-time All-Pro Roquan Smith, but questionable depth behind him. Former third-round draft pick Trenton Simpson was benched midway through his second season and replaced by the veteran duo of Malik Harrison and Chris Board, who are both entering free agency. The Santucci hire is the Ravens’ second this offseason after former Baltimore defensive coordinator and Indianapolis Colts coach Chuck Pagano joined the staff as a senior secondary coach. Former Ravens assistant head coach/pass game coordinator Chris Hewitt, who had been with the Ravens since 2012 before being let go this week, was reportedly hired Saturday by the Colts as their secondary coach and pass game coordinator. Have a news tip? Contact sports editor C.J. Doon at cdoon@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/CJDoon. View the full article

Former Ravens running back Ray Rice has been named the junior varsity football coach at Milford Mill, the Baltimore County school announced Friday on social media. Rice, 38, was a second-round draft pick by the Ravens in 2008. He played all six of his professional seasons in Baltimore, winning Super Bowl 47 and earning three Pro Bowl selections. But he was suspended and later released after video surfaced of him punching his then-fiancée Janay Palmer in an elevator at an Atlantic City casino on Feb. 15, 2014. While Rice fought his suspension and was reinstated, he never played in the NFL again. Rice has been a coach for the Pikesville Wildcats youth football program, where his son, Jaylen, played on his teams. Many of Pikesville’s players have gone on to Milford Mill when they reach high school, helping the JV program go undefeated for several seasons. Under coach Reggie White, the varsity program has become a regional power, winning a Class 2A state title in 2022 and reaching the state semifinals each of the past two seasons. “He’s a public school-raised kid who went to a public school and that’s what he wants to do — give back to a public school,” said White, who added that Rice came to a few of the Millers’ games this past season. “It’s just about the time, effort and energy and he wants to put it into public school. It just happened that Milford was the right choice for him. JV coach [Daymon] Royster retired this year and sometimes time is on your side.” When asked if he has any concerns about Rice’s past, White said: “Not one.” Crystal Jefferson, whose son Jacob played on Rice’s Pikesville team, believes the former running back will be “great” at high school coaching. “When he talks to the kids, he talks about discipline and how having discipline in football will translate to discipline in life,” she said. “They trust him. He makes a point to have a personal relationship with every single kid. They know he has their back and they want to go out and make him proud.” Karl Merton Ferron / Baltimore SunFormer Ravens running back Ray Rice talks with defensive back Anthony Levine Sr. before a 2018 game at M&T Bank Stadium. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Over the years, Rice has been involved with domestic violence awareness groups, including the Childhood Domestic Violence Association and A Call to Men. In 2019, Rice launched Pipeline 2 Prosperity, a nonprofit organization helping underprivileged kids in Baltimore and his hometown of New Rochelle, New York, providing them with toys, sports equipment, peer-to-peer mentoring and other needs. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | How might the NFL handle allegations against Ravens kicker Justin Tucker? Baltimore Ravens | Who is Justin Tucker? What you need to know about Ravens kicker Baltimore Ravens | Ravens kicker Justin Tucker denies allegations of ‘inappropriate behavior’ at high-end spas Baltimore Ravens | READERS RESPOND: Ravens or Orioles? Here’s who fans think will win a title first. Baltimore Ravens | What’s next for Ravens LT Ronnie Stanley as free agency looms? Rice was welcomed back to Baltimore by the Ravens in 2023, when he was named the “Legend of the Game” before the team’s 59-17 win against the Miami Dolphins. The former Rutgers star has also spoken to several NFL and college teams and talks to Ravens rookies at the team’s annual educational seminar. He was honored on the field at M&T Bank Stadium in 2022, along with former teammates, as part of the Ravens’ 10th anniversary celebration of their last Super Bowl title. Rice and Palmer have been married for 10 years and have two kids together, Rayven, 11, and Jaylen, 7, and recently moved back to the Baltimore area full-time, the Ravens said in a story published on the team’s website in 2023. “I truly understand why I was let go and why so many hearts changed,” Rice told the team’s website. “But hopefully people can see where I’m at now. “They say people can change, right? I am not the same person I was 10-12 years ago. That’s just not who I am. Every time I stepped on the field, I gave it my all. But I couldn’t say the same for life. Now I’m trying to be the best version of me.” Baltimore Sun reporter Glenn Graham contributed to this article. Have a news tip? Contact Timothy Dashiell at tdashiell@baltsun.com and x.com/dashielltimothy. View the full article

With Justin Tucker facing accusations of acting inappropriately with six massage therapists at four luxury spas and wellness centers in the Baltimore area, it’s unclear whether he will face discipline from the Ravens or the NFL. A spokesperson for the team said they were aware of report in The Baltimore Banner and that they “take any allegations of this nature seriously and will continue to monitor the situation.” A spokesperson from the NFL echoed similar thoughts, saying they became aware of the allegations from the reporter investigating the story and take “any allegation seriously and will look into the matter.” The NFL’s personal conduct policy for players states that “even if a case does not rise to the level of criminal charges, players are held to a higher standard and could still face punishment, including suspension.” It also states that players could face punishment for “assault and/or battery, including sexual assault or other sex offenses” and that players can also be disciplined if they’ve engaged in conduct posing “genuine danger” to the safety and wellbeing of others or if their behavior “undermines or puts at risk the integrity of the NFL.” The league also has a commissioner’s exempt list, though that typically applies in cases when a player has been charged with a crime, such as sexual assault. It effectively places the player on paid administrative leave and allows the player to not count against the active roster. It has been used scarcely over the past decade. Only NFL commissioner Roger Goodell can place a player on the list. Players cannot play but are permitted to attend meetings, workouts and receive treatments at the team facility. In 2023, the NFL revised its personal conduct policy, imposing a mandatory six-game suspension without pay for first-time violations related to sexual assault, including physical force, threats or coercion. A second violation could see a player expelled from the NFL. Once aware of a potential conduct violation, the league launches its own investigation to determine what, if any, penalty or discipline should be applied. The policy change also allows a player to be held accountable for inappropriate behavior that happened before they entered the league and to face more serious consequences for a pattern of behavior. The changes came in the wake of multiple sexual assault allegations against NFL quarterback Deshaun Watson involving more than 20 women in 2021. Here’s a look at some previous investigations of NFL players. Deshaun Watson was suspended for the first 11 games of the 2022 season for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy. (Nick Cammett/Getty Images) Deshaun Watson Watson, who at the time was a quarterback for the Houston Texans, was accused by more than two dozen women of exposing himself, and touching them or kissing them against their will during massage therapy sessions before eventually settling out of court with at least 20 of them. Most of the women were either licensed massage therapists or worked in a spa or similar business. He was suspended for the first 11 games of the 2022 season for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. A settlement between the NFL and the player’s union also included a $5 million fine against Watson and a commitment to undergo evaluation and treatment. The 29-year-old, who signed with the Cleveland Browns for a guaranteed $230 million after being traded in 2022, settled another case alleging sexual assault in October, the Associated Press reported. In December, the NFL declined to discipline Watson in the latest case, saying there was “insufficient evidence.” Michael Hall Jr. The Browns defensive tackle was arrested after police said he made violent threats against his fiancee. He pleaded not guilty to charges and was placed on the commissioner’s exempt list while the NFL conducted an investigation. Hall pleaded no contest to disorderly conduct after his fiancee recanted her statement that he had held a gun to her head. The NFL suspended him for five games without pay. Brandon McManus was released by the Commanders days after a lawsuit accused him of sexual assault. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola) Brandon McManus The former Jacksonville Jaguars kicker was accused of sexual assault on a 2023 team flight to London by two female flight attendants, who alleged that he tried to kiss one of the women and grinded up against the other. The Washington Commanders released McManus, who had signed a one-year, $3.6 million deal, days after the lawsuit was filed. In September, the NFL found insufficient evidence to punish McManus, who joined the Green Bay Packers midseason, for violating the code of conduct. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Who is Justin Tucker? What you need to know about Ravens kicker Baltimore Ravens | Ravens kicker Justin Tucker denies allegations of ‘inappropriate behavior’ at high-end spas Baltimore Ravens | READERS RESPOND: Ravens or Orioles? Here’s who fans think will win a title first. Baltimore Ravens | What’s next for Ravens LT Ronnie Stanley as free agency looms? Baltimore Ravens | Longtime Ravens defensive assistant coach Chris Hewitt won’t return Ben Roethlisberger The former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback was accused of sexual assault of a 20-year-old in a Georgia bar in 2010. While he was never arrested nor charged with a crime, the NFL suspended him for six games and ordered Reoethlisberger to undergo a behavioral evaluation. The suspension was cut to four games a few months later. Ray Rice In 2014, a video was released showing Ravens running back Ray Rice dragging his fiancee out of an elevator in a casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey. At the time, the 27-year-old was charged with assault and the NFL penalized him with a two-game suspension. He apologized at a news conference and Ravens leadership stood by him. But the initial video was only part of the story. Soon, the website TMZ would release an extended cut showing Rice throwing the punch that knocked out his partner. The condemnation was swift, leading the Ravens to terminate Rice’s contract and the NFL to suspend him indefinitely. While Rice fought his suspension and was reinstated, he has never played in the NFL again. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article

Justin Tucker rarely sees the field compared with his Ravens teammates, trotting onto the turf at M&T Bank Stadium only a few times per game. Still, he’s one of Baltimore’s most recognizable athletes. The kicker, who has been on the Ravens’ roster longer than any other current player, has built a Hall of Fame on-field resume and has been a staple of the Baltimore community since being signed out of college in 2012. Few NFL franchises regularly have fans in the stadium sporting jerseys for the team’s kicker, but Ravens fans have widely supported the former undrafted prospect over the past decade. He’s also now facing off-the-field allegations that threaten his career. The Baltimore Banner reported Thursday that Tucker allegedly acted inappropriately toward six massage therapists in the local area from 2012 to 2016. Tucker denied the allegations. Rise to on-field stardom Tucker wasn’t always destined for NFL stardom. While a highly reliable kicker at the University of Texas from 2008 to 2011, he wasn’t invited to the NFL scouting combine or Senior Bowl after his college career. He went undrafted in 2012 while four other kickers were selected in the seven-round event. He entered training camp for the Ravens competing with incumbent kicker Billy Cundiff. Tucker won the job, and the rest is history. The former Longhorns star won a Super Bowl with Baltimore as a rookie, making all 42 of his regular-season extra-point attempts and 30 of 33 field goal tries. He went a perfect 4-for-4 in the postseason, including a 47-yard game-winner against Denver to move Baltimore into the AFC championship game. He made a pair of fourth-quarter field goals in the team’s Super Bowl 47 victory over the San Francisco 49ers, 34-31. In subsequent seasons, Tucker developed into the gold standard for NFL kickers. He made at least 80% of his field goal attempts in each of his first 12 NFL seasons, earning five first-team All-Pro nods and seven Pro Bowl appearances. He’s the most accurate kicker in NFL history, even after making just 73.3% of his field goal attempts this season. Tucker’s 66-yard game-winning field goal against the Detroit Lions in 2021 remains the longest kick in NFL history. He’s perhaps the most accomplished kicker in league history and a future Hall of Fame candidate. The veteran struggled this season, though, dropping below an 80% success rate on his field goal attempts for the first time in his career. Still, he had the public support of his teammates and coach John Harbaugh. “We’re pretty close,” Harbaugh said in September after cameras captured a heartfelt conversation between the two on the sideline. “We’ve been together for a long time and had a lot of conversations. It was just two guys talking about where we’re at. I love the guy and respect him. He’s everything that you want in a player and a friend.” Off-field persona Part of Tucker’s popularity among fans developed through his off-field personality, which is often described as quirky. He’s been referred to as the best cornhole player on the team and is a trained opera singer, a unique hobby that was spotlighted by NFL Films. Tucker has appeared on CBS’ “60 Minutes” and he’s been a regular on Royal Farms commercials since 2015. “If Justin Tucker ran for mayor of Baltimore, he would win in a landslide,” Max Weiss wrote for Baltimore Magazine in 2021. “So it makes perfect sense that Royal Farms chose the handsome, affable, multitalented Ravens kicker to be their pitchman after Haloti Ngata was traded to the Lions in 2015.” Tucker has posted on Instagram in recent years promoting Jimmy’s Famous Seafood, Walmart and Olipop, among other brands. It’s rare for a kicker to be one of a team’s most recognizable players, but Tucker’s long tenure in Baltimore and willingness to be on camera has made him one of the most well-known athletes in the region. Ravens kicker Justin Tucker, right, has been one of the franchise’s most popular players over the last decade. (Kim Hairston/Staff) The kicker has also been outspoken about his Catholic faith. He has attended Mass at Sacred Heart in Glyndon and at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Baltimore during his years in the area, according to a profile the Catholic Review, a publication of the Archdiocese of Baltimore, ran on the kicker during his rookie year. He is known for making the sign of the cross before kicks. Tucker can perform opera in seven languages, including French, German, Italian, Latin, and Russian. He has used that talent to raise funds for the Baltimore-based nonprofit Catholic Charities. Accompanied by the Concert Artists of Baltimore, he sang “Ave Maria” at the organization’s Christmas Festival on Dec. 11, 2015, receiving a standing ovation from a packed house of about 900 people. He sang “O Holy Night” at the same festival in 2016, accompanied by the Morgan State University Choir and the Choral Arts Society. The money raised benefited a program for adults with intellectual disabilities. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens kicker Justin Tucker denies allegations of ‘inappropriate behavior’ at high-end spas Baltimore Ravens | READERS RESPOND: Ravens or Orioles? Here’s who fans think will win a title first. Baltimore Ravens | What’s next for Ravens LT Ronnie Stanley as free agency looms? Baltimore Ravens | Longtime Ravens defensive assistant coach Chris Hewitt won’t return Baltimore Ravens | Ravens bring back Chuck Pagano as senior secondary coach Future in Baltimore Tucker’s contract with the Ravens runs through 2027, and Baltimore’s front office signaled at the end of the season that it plans to keep him as the team’s primary kicker in 2025, even after a subpar performance this season. “We’ll have those discussions, but I think I have every expectation that Justin’s going to be a great kicker for us next year and moving forward,” Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said at the team’s end-of-season news conference. The Jan. 22 news conference occurred before the reported allegations of Tucker’s mistreatment of massage therapists were published. If Baltimore opts to cut ties and designate Tucker as a post-June 1 release, it would create $4.2 million in salary cap space and a $2.8 million dead cap hit, according to Over The Cap. Baltimore Sun reporter Jonathan M. Pitts contributed to this article. Have a news tip? Contact sports editor Bennett Conlin at bconlin@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/BennettConlin. View the full article

Ravens kicker Justin Tucker acted inappropriately with massage therapists at four luxury spas and wellness centers around the Baltimore area, according to six therapists who spoke anonymously with The Baltimore Banner, allegations Tucker denied vehemently. Managers from two of the spas said Tucker was banned from their establishments, The Banner reported. The accounts from the six therapists included details of Tucker “exposing his genitals, brushing two of them with his exposed penis, and leaving what they believed to be ejaculate on the massage table after three of his treatments,” The Banner reported. The alleged incidents occurred between 2012 and 2016, The Banner reported. Tucker denied the allegations in a lengthy statement posted Thursday afternoon on X. “The allegations in The Baltimore Banner article about me are unequivocally false,” he wrote. “Throughout my career as a professional athlete, I have always sought to conduct myself with the utmost professionalism. I have never before been accused of misconduct of any kind, and I have never been accused of acting inappropriately in front of a massage therapist or during a massage therapy session or during other bodywork. I have never received any complaints from a massage therapist, have never been dismissed from a massage therapy or bodywork session, and have never been told that I was not welcome at any spa or other place of business.” Tucker wrote that The Banner report “takes innocuous, or ambiguous, interactions and skews them so out of proportion they are no longer recognizable, and it presents vague insinuations as fact. This is desperate tabloid fodder.” A Ravens spokesman said, “We are aware of the Baltimore Banner’s story regarding Justin Tucker. We take any allegations of this nature seriously and will continue to monitor the situation.” NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said, “we take any allegation seriously and will look into the matter,” and that the league “first became aware of the allegations from the reporter investigating this story as they were not previously shared with the NFL.” Tucker, 35, has been the Ravens’ kicker since 2012 and is regarded as arguably the greatest ever at his position. He’s one of the most popular players on the team and a ubiquitous television presence in Baltimore as the pitchman for Royal Farms. The New York Times Magazine and “60 Minutes” have profiled him as a record-setting athlete who sings opera in multiple languages in his downtime. Attorneys for Tucker denied the allegations of inappropriate behavior to The Banner, calling them speculative and “impossible to prove” and saying Tucker had never been banned from the spas. Attorneys representing four massage therapists, including one who did not speak to The Banner, said it is “empowering” for their clients’ alleged experiences to become public. “Our clients have been afforded comfort in their experiences being investigated and heard by the public and validation in knowing that they are not alone. While it is only one step forward in the recovery process, it is important and empowering for any survivor of sexual misconduct to tell their story and to have people listen,” the attorneys, Michael Belsky and Catherine Dickinson of Baltimore-based SBWD Law, said in a statement. Peter O’Neill, a criminal defense lawyer in Glen Burnie, said prosecuting Tucker would be difficult given the amount of time elapsed since the alleged behaviors. While there are no constraints on when felony charges can be filed, O’Neill said the conduct described in The Banner would not rise above the level of misdemeanor assault or a fourth-degree sex offense, both of which have a one-year statute of limitations. He added that Tucker’s notoriety and wealth present another challenge to any possible legal actions, which are “inherently problematic” because of a lack of witnesses. Baltimore Sun reporters Luke Parker and Brian Wacker contributed to this article, which will be updated. Have a news tip? Contact Childs Walker at daviwalker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6893 and x.com/ChildsWalker. View the full article

We asked readers who will win a championship first: the Ravens or Orioles? Here are the results from our online poll: Ravens — 77.6% (309 votes) Orioles — 22.4% (89 votes) Here’s what some readers told us (answers have been edited for clarity and grammar): I believe that the Ravens will win a Super Bowl before the Orioles win a World Series (though wouldn’t it be nice to see them both accomplish the feat in the near term?) simply because, due to the leagues’ differing economic structures, there really are no so-called “small market” teams in the NFL, while MLB has several (including the O’s) who are at an inherent disadvantage when competing for top-level free agents. — Laurence Berbert Unfortunately, MLB has no incentive to level out the playing field. In a world of regional sport networks, the rich just get richer while the smaller market teams look for any competitive advantage that they can find. — Dan from Elkton I would love to be able to say the Orioles but despite the heartbreaks that the Ravens have experienced in recent playoffs, at least they’ve won a playoff game within the last decade. So much more needs to break right for a small market team like the Orioles to break through for a World Series title than an NFL team from the same city. Prove me wrong, O’s!!! — Adrian Eicholtz The Baltimore Sun reader poll is an unscientific survey in which website users volunteer their opinions on the subject of the poll. To see results from previous sports polls, go to baltimoresun.com/sportspoll View the full article

Ravens left tackle Ronnie Stanley is in Orlando, Florida. A Pro Bowl selection — even as an alternate — he is enjoying the fruits of his labor alongside a few teammates after what was a personally satisfying season. It was also a painfully disappointing one. Baltimore fell short of its yearly stated goal of winning a Super Bowl, losing in the divisional round of the playoffs to the Buffalo Bills in upsettingly familiar fashion. In the locker room afterward, the proud veteran voiced his frustration to teammates, loudly lamenting the Ravens’ lack of rushing attempts and expressing his displeasure with the offense at times overcomplicating things, as he saw it. Speaking with reporters, Stanley said, “This one is going to hurt for a while.” “This is a really hard one to accept for us, especially the guys who have been here for years,” he continued. “There’s just kind of shock about it.” On a personal level, however, it was a rebirth. After being plagued by injuries and poor play in 2023 that resulted in a contract restructure and $7.5 million pay cut, Stanley was not only healthy but highly productive. He didn’t miss a game and allowed just two sacks in 590 pass-pass-blocking snaps. He ranked 12th in pass-rush win rate among tackles, per ESPN analytics, and had a 79.6 pass blocking grade from Pro Football Focus. And his timing was impeccable, individually at least, with the soon-to-be 31-year old due to become a free agent in March. In the aftermath of the loss to the Bills, Stanley said he was going to take his future “day-by-day” and said, “whatever happens, happens,” but that future will soon be upon him as well as Baltimore. Stanley is one of 19 Ravens due to hit the open market. He is also perhaps the best player at the all-important position who will be available in free agency, casting doubt about his future in Baltimore. In a perfect world, the Ravens would likely be more than happy to have Stanley back. He is the blindside protector to their $265 million quarterback, All-Pro and perhaps soon-to-be three-time NFL Most Valuable Player Lamar Jackson. He is also a respected presence along a front that had three new starters last season, including rookie right tackle Roger Rosengarten, who blossomed into a dependable blocker opposite his mentor. Ronnie Stanley is perhaps the best left tackle who will be available in free agency, casting doubt about his future in Baltimore. (Kevin Richardson/Staff) Per Over the Cap, however, Baltimore currently has just over $5.8 million in salary cap space — a number that will grow with salary dumps and contract restructures — and that raises serious questions as to whether general manager Eric DeCosta can afford to retain the services of Stanley, a two-time Pro Bowl selection and former All-Pro. There are other considerations that complicate matters, too, including a desire to sign Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum and Pro Bowl safety Kyle Hamilton to long-term extensions as they get set to enter the final year of their rookie deals. “I think our goal is to always have the best offensive line that we can have,” DeCosta said at the team’s season-ending news conference last week when asked about Stanley. “We made a tough call last year to go younger and have some younger guys play, and we knew we’d have a few growing pains. I think we had a few, but looking back on it, I think it was absolutely the right thing to do, and we saw our guys improve and get better and really mesh as a unit and jell. “We are aware that we have some guys whose contracts are up, and we’ll look at that and certainly have some discussions with players. We’ll look at potentially bringing back our guys; we’ll look at the draft; we’ll look at free agency; we’ll overturn every rock to find as many good offensive linemen as we can, and I think we have some good young players on the team — they’ve shown that. And one thing we’ve seen over the years with that position, is guys get better as they get older and more established. They get in the weight room, they get stronger and play better, so that’s going to be the case with the guys we have.” There are some homegrown free agents to account for as well, including versatile offensive lineman Patrick Mekari, who started at left guard this season, and All-Pro fullback Patrick Ricard. As for those conversations DeCosta mentioned, they have already begun in earnest. But it’s still early days and there have yet to be substantive contract talks between the Ravens and Stanley, according to a source with direct knowledge of the situation. The Notre Dame graduate could be prohibitively expensive. In 2020, the Ravens signed Stanley to a five-year, $98.75 million extension, making him at the time the highest paid offensive lineman in the sport. The cost of elite left tackles has, of course, gone up since then. The sport’s highest paid left tackle, the New York Giants’ Andrew Thomas, signed a five-year, $117.5 million deal in 2023, making him the highest paid player at his position in terms of total money. San Francisco 49ers standout left tackle Trent Williams, meanwhile, sits at the top of the list in annual value with an average of $27.55 million per year. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Longtime Ravens defensive assistant coach Chris Hewitt won’t return Baltimore Ravens | Ravens bring back Chuck Pagano as senior secondary coach Baltimore Ravens | Ravens QB Lamar Jackson, RB Derrick Henry, 2 others pull out of Pro Bowl Games Baltimore Ravens | 18 potential Ravens targets to watch at 2025 Senior Bowl Baltimore Ravens | Ravens fan, Centennial teacher starts GoFundMe for charity supported by Bills TE Dalton Kincaid Stanley’s $7.5 million for 2024 ranked just 16th among left tackles, meaning he’ll see a significant increase this year. Will some team with a young quarterback or another that believes it’s one or two players away from being a contender make an offer that Stanley simply can’t refuse? There should be at least a few suitors. Or is there a creative way for the Ravens to come up with an offer that satisfies both parties and maintains a comfortable continuity? Time will tell. Certainly, teammates know what they’d like to happen. “God willing, I hope we keep Ronnie,” Rosengarten said. “Those [decisions] aren’t in my hands. Ronnie played like an All-Pro this year, in my opinion. … He played his [butt] off all year, and whether that means [that I] go to left tackle or wherever, [if that] happens, I’m willing to do whatever.” Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article