Reflecting on the Career of Former Ravens Linebacker
When one thinks of the Baltimore Ravens, the first thought that usually comes to mind is Ray Lewis and the dominant defense that has been a staple of Baltimore’s identity since their inaugural season in 1996. The Ravens have a knack for finding defensive studs, whether in the draft, free agency, or by trade. Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Haloti Ngata, and Terrell Suggs highlight those who are retired, with Roquan Smith, Kyle Hamilton, and Nnamdi Madubuike being the current Ravens who are filling in the big shoes of those legends. However, one selection stood out beyond the rest of the pack, and on his 33rd birthday, he retired from the NFL as one of the best defensive field generals the game has seen in recent history. On June 19th, 2025, C.J. Mosley stepped away from the gridiron and hung up his cleats.
Mosley was projected to be a top 15 selection in the 2014 NFL Draft, but some draft boards had him fall due to a lengthy injury history while playing at Alabama, most recently a labrum repair in his hip. Despite the worries from scouts and other rumors floating around, the Ravens selected the Alabama linebacker with the 17th overall pick. Head coach John Harbaugh named him as a starter before the regular season began, making him the first rookie to start for the Ravens’ defense since Haloti Ngata was drafted in 2006. Having Mosley start at middle linebacker was a huge step towards rebuilding the Ravens after their 2012 Super Bowl classic over the San Francisco 49ers. The championship victory marked Ray Lewis’ last NFL game as he announced his retirement days before the Wild Card matchup against the Indianapolis Colts, sparking “Ray’s Last Ride”.
After Lewis retired, the Ravens had problems with their offense and defense, losing an NFL record eight starters after a Super Bowl victory. After Baltimore paid Joe Flacco a six-year deal worth over $120 million, center Matt Birk retired, Reed left for Houston, hard-hitting safety Bernard Pollard was released, playing his last two seasons in Tennessee, and edge rusher Paul Kruger signed with the in-division rivals over in Cleveland. Lastly, receiver Anquan Boldin was traded to the 49ers for a sixth-round pick, which would later be traded again so the Ravens could move up and select MLB Arthur Brown from Kansas State in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft. Brown would never start a game in his career and only recorded 15 tackles in his first year with the Ravens. Mosley would be the opposite of Brown, giving fans hope that another Super Bowl berth is closer than originally thought.
In the second season since winning the Super Bowl, the 2014 Ravens made the playoffs, finding themselves at 10-6, ranked sixth and eighth in points and yards allowed, respectively. Unfortunately, the season ended when the Ravens blew two 14-point leads to Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, who would go on to defeat the Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX. The Defensive Rookie of the Year runner-up finished the season with 133 tackles and eight defended passes. Despite achieving those numbers in his rookie year, they would be career-highs during his tenure in Baltimore for those individual statistics.
In five years with the Ravens, Mosley was voted for the Pro Bowl four times, recording over 100 combined tackles every year except 2016, when he had 92 tackles in 14 games. Mosley’s career on a rebuilding Ravens team ultimately amounted to nine interceptions, 35 defended passes, two defensive touchdowns, six forced fumbles, and a 1-2 playoff record. Perhaps the biggest disappointment in the linebacker's time in Baltimore was that he was the first piece in a partial rebuild. However, the most memorable play in Mosley’s time as a Raven was a game-sealing interception that clinched the division for Baltimore.
With a minute remaining and the Ravens holding a two-point lead, the Browns looked to play spoiler for the Ravens' chances at the division and a playoff spot. Baker Mayfield had just thrown three consecutive incomplete passes. The Browns could have gone for a game-winning 57-yard field goal or try their hand with a fourth-down attempt to get another opportunity at a touchdown or a walk-off field goal. Cleveland kept their offense on the field, showing an empty backfield, allowing the Ravens to send six on the blitz. Mosley engaged with a lineman but did not use any pass moves, allowing him to prevent any shallow crossing route. As Mayfield threw to his crossing receiver, Mosley was able to deflect the pass to himself for his first interception of the season, ending the game, Pittsburgh’s playoff hopes, and saving their own.
Mosley would go on to test free agency after the 2018 season and sign a very lucrative deal with the New York Jets, but tore his ACL in 2019, and opted out due to COVID-19 in 2020. From 2021-2023, Mosley was a tackle machine, recording over 150 combined tackles in each of those seasons, but came away with zero interceptions in that timeframe. In 2024, Mosley was hit with another injury, costing him most of the season, which led to his release from the team. There were reports of Mosley rejoining the Ravens as they each had a mutual interest in a reunion, but Mosley failed to get medically cleared from the 2024 neck injury. As much as fans in Baltimore would have loved to see Mosley and Roquan Smith on the field at the same time wearing purple and black, health comes first. Fans are grateful for the time he spent with the Ravens, and in the days after announcing his retirement, celebrated his contributions to the team during one of the darkest times in franchise history.
