Ravens' 30th Season Celebration vs. Browns Sparks Controversy

The Baltimore Ravens will celebrate a key anniversary against the team from their old home.

Jan 4, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) looks to pass as Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett (95) applies pressure during the first half at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

The 2025 season is a big one for the Baltimore Ravens not only because of their Super Bowl ambitions, but because of the history.

This season marks the Ravens' 30th in Baltimore, and they're planning a host of events to celebrate the occasion. They'll kick off the festivities at Sunday's home opener, which will feature longtime general manager and current executive vice president of player personnel Ozzie Newsome as the legend of the game and a halftime show featuring several franchise icons. They'll also recognize the 1975 Baltimore Colts - known as the "Miracle on 33rd Street" for their remarkable turnaround - in honor of their 50th anniversary, despite being part of a different franchise.

However, the opponent being the Cleveland Browns of all teams certainly makes things awkward.

It's common knowledge that the Ravens are essentially the original incarnation of the Browns, with late owner Art Modell moving the team to Baltimore in very controversial fashion in 1996. They don't have the history of the original Browns - that remained in Cleveland - but the sting of that departure still very much lives on in northeastern Ohio.

Jan 28, 2001; Tampa, FL, USA; FILE PHOTO; Baltimore Ravens owner Art Modell celebrates with the Vince Lombardi trophy after defeating the New York Giants during Super Bowl XXXV. The Ravens defeated the Giants 34-7 at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Imagn Images | RVR Photos-Imagn Images

As a result, some Browns fans have found the Ravens celebrating their 30th anniversary against them to be rubbing salt in the wound. According to a report by Cleveland.com, however, the Ravens were always going to celebrate the occasion during their home opener, no matter the opponent.

“Planning for our 30th season began last year, with the home opener as the official kickoff of our anniversary celebration,” a Ravens spokesman told Cleveland.com. “The plans to celebrate the 30th season were publicly released in March prior to the announcement of the league schedule and before we knew who our home opening opponent would be.”

Browns quarterback Joe Flacco, a Ravens legend who is making a return to Baltimore for the first since a 2019 trade, didn't see his old team's decision as an insult, but acknowledged it would have an impact on the game.

“It is funny because that isn’t the first thing that I think about not being from here, but I can understand how that looks,” Flacco said. “Listen, they do these things and I think you can take it however you want. If you’re from Cleveland, you can take it one way and if you’re from Baltimore you can say it’s not a big deal, it’s just one of those things.

"Honestly, for me, it kind of makes it more exciting. We get to go in there when they’re having some people back and just more ex-players, more eyes on you. It’ll make it more interesting.”

Baltimore also knows the pain of losing a franchise all too well, as in 1984, Robert Irsay moved the Colts to Indianapolis in the middle of the night (literally). The city would then go 12 years without an NFL team until the Ravens' arrival.

That doesn't lessen the sting for Cleveland, but regardless of the history of shared pain, both teams have the same goal this week: getting in the win column.

“Our players know the history of our franchise,” Browns head coach Stefanski said. “Our focus really is on this week, on this opponent.”

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