Raven Country

Ravens Legends Among Hall of Fame Semifinalists

The Baltimore Ravens could be sending more players to Canton soon.

Jon Alfano

Sep 29, 2019; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens offensive guard Marshal Yanda (73) looks on during a football game against the Cleveland Browns in the second quarter at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mitchell Layton-Imagn Images
Sep 29, 2019; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens offensive guard Marshal Yanda (73) looks on during a football game against the Cleveland Browns in the second quarter at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mitchell Layton-Imagn Images / Mitchell Layton-Imagn Images
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The Baltimore Ravens already have some solid representation in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and they could add to it very soon.

On Wednesday morning, the Hall of Fame revealed the 25 modern-era players who reached the semifinalist stage for the class of 2025. Six players who once donned purple and black are among the semifinalists, including longtime Ravens Marshal Yanda and edge rusher Terrell Suggs, who are both in their first year of eligibility.

Yanda, who played in Baltimore from 2007-2019, was one of the most dominant offensive linemen of his era. The Iowa product started 166 of the 177 games he appeared in, and earned Pro Bowl selections in eight of his last nine seasons. He also won Super Bowl XLVII with the Ravens and has a spot on the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team.

Suggs, who played in Baltimore from 2003-2018 and had brief stints with the Arizona Cardinals and Kansas City Chiefs in 2019, was similarly one of the most-feared pass-rushers of the past two decades. The former Arizona State star ranks eighth in NFL history with 139 sacks, and is the Ravens' all-time leader with 132.5 sacks (and it's not close either). He too won Super Bowl XLVII in Baltimore, and he won Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2003 and Defensive Player of the Year in 2011.

The Ravens have already retired Yanda's No. 73 and Suggs' No. 55, the former coming in 2022 and the latter in 2023. They'll always be legends in Baltimore, and are closing in on football's highest honor as well.

Additionally, four other former Ravens advanced in voting, though they spent more time with other teams. That group includes offensive tackle Willie Anderson (played in Baltimore in 2008), wide receiver Anquan Boldin (2010-2012), wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. (2014-2016) and safety Earl Thomas (2019). Thomas is in his first year of eligibility, while Boldin and Smith are in the fourth and Anderson is in his fifth.

The Hall of Fame will narrow the list further to 15 players later this year, with anywhere from four to eight of them making it to Canton in 2025. The full class will be revealed at the NFL Honors award show in February.

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Jon Alfano
JON ALFANO

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