Ravens Make Front Office Change

Obviously, NFL players and coaches are the ones who get most attention, but there's so much more that goes into running a franchise. The Baltimore Ravens are well aware of this fact, and as such, rewarded one of their "behind-the-scenes stars" with a promotion.

On Monday, the Ravens announced that they have promoted Simon Gelan to senior vice president of operations.

Gelan's name may not be a familiar one for Ravens fans, but he's a key piece that helps the team run. He manages team travel, facilities and more, and assists players, coaches and staff on a daily basis.

"I'm a support system to make sure everybody has what they need to be successful," Gelan said, per the team's site.

"Every day, I'm trying to think about things to move the needle and make a better experience for the players, coaches, and staff. I always say no job is too big, no job is too small. It's always about how we can support and what we can do to make things better."

Gelan, who is in his second stint with the Ravens, has accomplished some impressive feats recently. Perhaps most notable among those feats is him helping the Ravens cross the Atlantic smoothly when they played in London last season. He also helped develop a second-floor business space and worked with the grounds crew to resod all three practice fields.

"Some of the best parts of the job are also the most challenging," Gelan said. "No day is like the next. I might be in a construction meeting this afternoon and later I might be looking over menus with our nutritionist. Every day and moment is an opportunity to see something different."

Gelan got his start in the NFL as an equipment intern with the San Francisco 49ers in the summer of 2007, then had two more internships before joining the Ravens from 2009 to early 2010. He spent nine years with the Cleveland Browns in a variety of roles, then three with the Chicago Bears as their director of team logistics. His return to Baltimore came in 2022, and two years later, he finds himself as one of the highest-ranking members of the team's front office.

"It's never about me fixing it. It's about the team fixing it," Gelan said. "It's very easy for me to do my job when you have people to rely on that are some of the best at what they do.

"At the end of the day, if I can make things 1 percent better, I've done my job. If people have a great place to work and feel like they have everything they need to be successful, then I've done my job."

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