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Ravens Insider: ‘It’s just the beginning’: Qadir Ismail, son of Ravens Super Bowl champion, forging his own NFL path


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When the Ravens host the Philadelphia Eagles to open the preseason Friday night, longtime fans will see a familiar name when Qadir Ismail takes the field.

Ismail is the son of former NFL wide receiver Qadry Ismail, who led the Ravens with 68 catches, 1,105 receiving yards and six touchdowns in 1999 before helping the team win Super Bowl 35 a season later.

As he prepares to suit up for the Ravens decades after his father, Qadir revels in the opportunity to suit up for his hometown team, aiming to make a name for himself as he starts a career of his own.

“He’s here because he’s worked for it,” said Qadry Ismail, who played 10 years in the NFL with five teams and spent several years as the Ravens’ radio color commentator. “I’m most proud of the journey, and the work he’s put in to get here, for him to be at this moment, he’s put himself in a good position.”

Regardless of his NFL pedigree, Ismail has hit the ground running, impressing many during his short time in Baltimore.

“Qadir is doing a great job, really at everything he’s been asked to do,” coach John Harbaugh said July 31. “He doesn’t back down from any challenge.”

Ismail grew up in Bel Air and started as a quarterback at John Carroll before committing to Villanova, taking with him the wise words and firsthand knowledge of the game passed down from his father.

“He’s always taught me to finish,” he said. “Finish every catch, finish every rep and finish every play. In my mind, every time I touch the ball, it’s going for a touchdown.”

Ismail transferred to Samford, where he played two seasons at wide receiver. He was not drafted, but the Ravens invited him to rookie minicamp with something new in mind. They wanted him to play tight end.

“When it comes to the art of playing football, you can go fast alone or far as a team,” Qadry Ismail said. “He’s embraced that understanding of wanting to go far and making the necessary sacrifices to help the team.”

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Qadir Ismail catches the football during training camp at the Ravens' training facility. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)
“Being with this great organization, wearing the purple and black, this is the dream now,” Qadir Ismail said. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff)

After a good showing at rookie minicamp, Ismail was added to the 90-man roster and invited to training camp. He’s made a mark.

“He’s a big body, he can run, he can catch [and] he’s learning the position,” tight ends coach George Godsey said July 27. “He’s played quarterback, [so] he knows what the quarterback is looking at. He’s young, he’s learning, he’s eager and he has a big capacity to learn, so [I’m] excited about him.”

“It’s been a pretty seamless transition for him,” fullback Patrick Ricard, who has also played multiple positions throughout his career, said Tuesday. “He’s still learning, but he’s been very active in meetings, he’s always trying to get better.”

With Qadry Ismail watching from the sidelines this summer, he might not be directly coaching his son like he did when he was a Bel Air Terp, but he still lends his expertise when he can.

“I’m here to be whatever he needs,” Qadry Ismail said. “Whether it’s encouragement or walking things through with him to get an idea of what he and I both saw out there, I’m doing whatever it takes to help him get better every day.”

Qadry Ismail jokes that training camp is a lot more tame now than it was in 1993 when he had to grind through full-contact practices twice a day. But one thing that hasn’t changed, he said, is the job at hand for players in Qadir’s shoes.

“It is the No. 1 priority for him to show that he belongs,” Qadry Ismail said.

With a preseason full of game reps and opportunities fast approaching, Ismail is eager not just for his professional debut with his father’s old team, but also for the chance to go out and make a name for himself as he looks to start his path to a long career of his own.

“Being with this great organization, wearing the purple and black, this is the dream now,” he said. “This is the reward for all the hard work, but at the same time, it’s just the beginning.”

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