Ravens to release Terrence Cody; faces animal cruelty probe

The Baltimore Ravens will terminate the contract of defensive tackle Terrence Cody following the Super Bowl. The Ravens did not disclose an official reason for letting the veteran go.

The Baltimore Ravens will terminate the contract of defensive tackle Terrence Cody following the Super Bowl, the team announced on Friday.

The Ravens did not disclose an official reason for letting the veteran go, but Baltimore County authorities told the Baltimore Sunthat Cody is under investigation for animal cruelty.

Cody's dog died because it was infected with worms, his agent Peter Schaffer said, according to FOXSports' Mike Garafolo. "There was no animal cruelty," Schaffer added. "If this affects at all my client's ability to get a job, I'm going to do everything in my legal power to protect his rights."

Cody, 26, has not been arrested or charged with a crime.

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Cody had been battling injury issues as of late, however, especially with his hips. He underwent multiple procedures on his left hip a year ago and had a procedure done on his right hip this past spring. Cody was activated off of the physically unable to perform list this season, but he only played in nine snaps for the Ravens in 2014.

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In his five seasons with the Ravens, Cody had 87 tackles and zero sacks while playing in 57 games. He won Super Bowl XLVII with the Ravens two years ago.

Cody was drafted in the second round in 2010 by the Ravens out of Alabama. He was already scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in March, with his one-year $730,000 contract set to expire.

- Jack Jorgensen and Scooby Axson