Cleveland Browns vs. Baltimore Ravens rivalry has been rekindled in 2025

Week Two's Browns vs. Ravens matchup has quickly become more than just an ordinary game. Here's everything that goes into the rivalry spanning almost three decades.

Oct 1, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) throws a pass as he is hit by Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) in the third quarter at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | David Richard-Imagn Images

AFC North football is defined by fierce rivalries, but this week, all eyes are on the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens. In this division, every team brings extra intensity, but the connection and animosity between Cleveland and Baltimore stands apart.

The Browns and Ravens have a well-known, storied, and intertwined history dating back to the inception of the Ravens, when Art Modell moved the team from Cleveland to Baltimore. Since then, the Ravens have been the better team, currently holding a 37-15 series lead over the Browns, while also gathering two Super Bowl titles during their time as an NFL franchise.

Cleveland, on the other hand, has been trying to put the pieces back together ever since the team was reintroduced to the NFL in 1999. Other than the bad blood, it hasn’t seemed like much of a rivalry, but this year's Week 2 matchup feels like it has a lot on the line despite the lopsided spread.

To get this renewed rivalry started, Baltimore is celebrating its 30th anniversary of the franchise on Sunday, which, for Browns fans, is rubbed salt into an old wound. Though most of the players in this game weren’t alive for it, or were too young to really remember this happening, Modell's move still means a great deal to the fans.

Dating back to 2021, the two teams have split the season matchups each year. This animosity fueled one of the Browns' three wins last season in a shocking last-second upset of the Ravens, who were also heavily favored in that game.

Oct 27, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns wide receiver Cedric Tillman (19) and quarterback Jameis Winston (5) celebrate after Tillman caught a touchdown from Winston during the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

This confidence has carried over into this season, as reflected in the pregame remarks of Browns players. When asked about how difficult it would be to tackle Ravens running back Derrick Henry, Browns safety Grant Delpit replied, “Not hard.”

Later, in response to a question about being a massive underdog for this matchup, Delpit answered, “whoop-de-doo.”

#Browns safety Grant Delpit was asked how hard it is to tackle Derrick Henry:

“Not hard.”

pic.twitter.com/ADZjV0mNsD https://t.co/qSHAZE5SjU

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) September 11, 2025

Browns wide receiver, Jerry Jeudy, also added to the pregame trash talk when asked about the Ravens' secondary, stating it posed “No challenges.”

These comments by Jeudy and Delpit prompted responses from both Derrick Henry and Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton. Coupled with the storyline of Joe Flacco—a former Super Bowl-winning Ravens quarterback who lost his job to current Ravens star Lamar Jackson—Sunday’s matchup features some new and old faces, adding fuel to the rivalry.

Derrick Henry’s response to Browns safety Grant Delpit saying he’s “not hard” to tackle. pic.twitter.com/kGOMmwSlhl

— Ryan Mink (@ryanmink) September 11, 2025

Baltimore is heavily favored in M&T Bank Stadium for what could turn out to be a surprisingly competitive matchup, regardless of expert opinion, at the very least, this should be a very entertaining game.