Baltimore Ravens history begins in 1996, when owner Art Modell relocated his Cleveland franchise to Maryland – under an NFL agreement that left the Browns’ name, colors and all pre-1996 records behind in Cleveland. That makes the Ravens officially a new franchise, one that has packed a remarkable amount into 30 completed seasons: two Super Bowl championships (XXXV and XLVII, both wins), eight AFC North titles, 16 playoff appearances and a 276-208-1 all-time regular-season record entering 2026.
The timing of this history is notable too: the John Harbaugh era – 18 seasons, 180 regular-season wins and one Lombardi Trophy – ended with his dismissal in January 2026, and former Ravens assistant Jesse Minter now begins his first season as just the fourth head coach the franchise has ever employed.
The chart below walks every era, championship, record, coach and Hall of Famer – with the Cleveland distinction handled properly throughout.
FRANCHISE HISTORY
Baltimore Ravens History
Two Lombardis, three eras, and a brand-new chapter starting in 2026
FOUNDED
1996
New franchise in Baltimore
SUPER BOWLS
2
XXXV (2000), XLVII (2012)
ALL-TIME RECORD
276-208-1
Regular season, thru 2025
DIVISION TITLES
8
AFC North championships
The Ravens era by era
Every stretch of franchise history – 30 completed seasons
| Era |
What happened |
| 1996-98: The Marchibroda years |
Art Modell relocates his Cleveland franchise to Baltimore; the NFL deal leaves the Browns’ name, colors and records in Cleveland, making the Ravens a brand-new 1996 franchise (named for Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven”). First win: 19-14 over Oakland on Sept. 1, 1996. Ted Marchibroda goes 16-31-1 in the building years |
| 1999-2007: The Billick era |
Brian Billick goes 80-64 with five playoff trips – and the 2000 team allows a 16-game-record-low 165 points behind Ray Lewis, then routs the Giants 34-7 in Super Bowl XXXV |
| 2008-2025: The Harbaugh era |
John Harbaugh: 180-113 regular season, 13-11 playoffs across 18 seasons, capped by Super Bowl XLVII – a 34-31 win over brother Jim’s 49ers with Joe Flacco as MVP. The Lamar Jackson years add two MVPs (2019, 2023) and four more division titles, but 2025’s 8-9 finish ends the run: Harbaugh is dismissed Jan. 6, 2026 |
| 2026-: The Minter era begins |
Jesse Minter, a former Ravens assistant (2017-20), becomes the fourth head coach in franchise history, inheriting Jackson and a roster aiming to reclaim the AFC North |
Championships, records and the franchise ledger
The numbers that define Baltimore football
| Category |
The record |
| Super Bowls |
2-0: XXXV (34-7 over the Giants, 2000 season) and XLVII (34-31 over the 49ers, 2012). The Ravens have never lost a Super Bowl |
| All-time record |
276-208-1 (.569) in the regular season through 2025, plus 18-14 in the playoffs across 16 postseason appearances |
| Division titles (8) |
AFC North champions in 2003, 2006, 2011, 2012, 2018, 2019, 2023 and 2024 |
| Best seasons |
2019 (14-2, Jackson’s unanimous MVP year), 2023 (13-4, AFC title game), 2000 and 2012 (the championships), and 2024 – 12-5 with a franchise-record 7,224 yards, the first NFL team ever with 4,000 passing and 3,000 rushing yards in one season |
| Worst seasons |
The 4-12 inaugural 1996 campaign, plus 5-11 finishes in 2007 and 2015; the 8-9 season of 2025 was costly in its own way, ending an 18-year coaching era |
| Notable quarterbacks |
Vinny Testaverde (the original starter and first Pro Bowl QB), Trent Dilfer (the 2000 title), Joe Flacco (SB XLVII MVP, franchise passing leader) and Lamar Jackson (two MVPs and a 70-14 career record as a starter entering 2026) |
| Hall of Famers |
Drafted-and-developed greats Jonathan Ogden (the first-ever draft pick), Ray Lewis and Ed Reed – plus stars who added Baltimore chapters: Shannon Sharpe, Rod Woodson and Deion Sanders |
| Franchise records |
Jamal Lewis’ 2,066 rushing yards (2003) remains one of the NFL’s great seasons; Justin Tucker is the all-time scoring leader; Ray Lewis owns the tackle records; the 2000 defense’s 165 points allowed still stands among the stingiest ever |
RAVENS FACTS
Not the Browns
This is the distinction that trips everyone: when Modell moved in 1996, the NFL ruled that Cleveland kept the Browns’ entire history – every record before 1996 belongs to the Browns, and Ravens history starts at zero in 1996. The Browns then resumed play in 1999.
A defense-first identity
From Lewis and Reed to modern units, Baltimore’s brand was built on defense – the 2000 group is routinely ranked among the best in league history.
Perfect in February
Two Super Bowl trips, two wins – the Ravens are one of the few franchises with multiple appearances and no defeats on the biggest stage.
How to Think About Ravens History
Three eras, three identities: the expansion-style building years under Marchibroda, the defense-defined Billick period that produced one of the greatest defensive seasons ever, and the Harbaugh decades that delivered a second title and the Lamar Jackson experience – including a 2024 offense that did something no NFL team had ever done. The connective tissue is defense: the franchise drafted Jonathan Ogden and Ray Lewis with its first two picks in 1996 and never let go of the identity, one best understood through how NFL defenses are structured and the Mike linebacker role Lewis defined for a generation.
The Bottom Line
Baltimore Ravens history is short by NFL standards – 30 seasons – and dense by any standard: a 276-208-1 record, a perfect 2-0 in Super Bowls, eight division crowns and three Hall of Fame homegrown legends, all built on a defensive identity that survived every era. With Harbaugh gone and Jesse Minter inheriting a two-time MVP quarterback playing under the modern contract structures that define today’s NFL, the fourth era of Ravens football starts now.
