Baltimore Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs. Photo credit: Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire
This NFL Hall of Fame spotlight focuses on one of the greatest defensive players in history: Terrell Suggs. Power, speed, and intelligence are great words to describe this phenomenal player, but even those don’t do enough justice. Although Suggs spent most of his professional career playing for the Baltimore Ravens, the Arizona Cardinals and the Kansas City Chiefs also enjoyed his talent.
Let’s dive into why Suggs is such a terrific player.
The Making of a Football Icon
Suggs was born in Minnesota on October 11, 1982. There, he started playing youth football. But his move to Arizona after eighth grade was a significant step in his journey to greatness. He attended college at Arizona State University and played football for the Arizona State Sun Devils.
His star wasn’t hard to see, earning him numerous awards, including the Vince Lombardi Award. He finished his college football career as a Unanimous All-American. He also won the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year for 2002.
The Ravens would count themselves lucky as they selected Suggs as the 10th overall pick of the 2003 NFL Draft.
Professional Football Career
The saying, “Age is just a number” seemed especially true of Suggs. Despite being drafted at only 20 years of age, Suggs shook up the league in ways many wouldn’t have imagined. His opening statement in the NFL was posting a sack in each of his first four games. He kept up the impressive performances and finished the season with impressive numbers. Deservedly, he was named the Defensive Rookie Player of the Year. After a wonderful rookie season, Suggs had earned the trust of head coach Brian Billick and started all 16 games of the 2004 regular season. He made his first Pro Bowl selection in 2004. From there, he continued to improve.
Suggs’ talent was always on display every time he showed up on the gridiron. He was big, fast, and ferocious. His mere presence on the field of play granted his team a lifeline to hang on. He was the kind of player you could trust to pull the strings when all the chips were down.
Former teammate, Eric Weddle explained how clutch Suggs was. He said, “He just brings that confidence to all of us. You know, as an older guy, you get someone like that, you can really lean on them. You can look them in the eyes and say, ‘Hey, we need a play right now. We need to pick each other up.’ And he’s right there with you.”
Linebacker? Defensive End? No problem
From the 2005 season, Suggs started to assume more defensive end roles, thanks to defensive coordinator Rex Ryan. However, Suggs proved himself versatile. His dual-threat capability allowed him to disrupt both the passing and running games. So, whatever the defensive scheme, Suggs was able to make a play.
That 2005 season, he recorded more tackles than he had in each of his first two seasons. He also finished the season with two interceptions. Clearly, his reading of the game had grown incredibly. It became one of the things he was most known for. He had such high football intelligence that he was right about what an opponent was going to do nine times out of 10. The change in roles though, led to a franchise tag saga in 2008. The Ravens placed a linebacker franchise tag on Suggs to his displeasure. Suggs expressed his disappointment but still showed a hundred percent commitment to the Ravens. In an interview, he said, “I’m a Raven at heart. That’s my identity.” Both parties eventually met halfway and resolved the conflict.
Suggs’ Exceptional Plays
Suggs transformed into one of the NFL’s most feared pass-rushers. Whether blitzing from linebacker or attacking off the edge with his hand in the dirt, he was a constant threat.
One of his career plays that he will look back on with a smirk was when he sacked Tom Brady in the 2009 Wild Card Playoff Game. The New England Patriots were on their third offensive play when Suggs sacked and forced a Brady fumble before recovering the ball. Another time when Suggs made himself a thorn in a quarterback’s flesh was in the 2011 Thanksgiving Game against the San Francisco 49ers. Suggs sacked 49ers quarterback Alex Smith three times in that encounter.
Now, let’s talk about the interception that John Harbaugh described as “the greatest catch in football history.” The interception came midway through the fourth quarter of the 2014 playoffs game between the Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Ben Roethlisberger‘s pass slipped through the hands of running back Ben Tate. It then bounced off Suggs’ hands and seemed like it would surely hit the ground. But in a moment of unconventional athleticism, Suggs somehow pinned the ball between his legs while falling to the turf. It was simply incredible.
Super Bowl
After tearing his Achilles tendon in the 2012 off-season, everyone expected Suggs to be out for a long time. But as a fighter that he was, he was back by October. He guided the Ravens to Super Bowl XLVII and claimed his first Super Bowl ring.
After a brief stint with Arizona, the Cardinals released him in December 2019. The Chiefs claimed him off waivers three days later. This allowed him to win his second Super Bowl ring as the Chiefs defeated the 49ers in Super Bowl LIV.
According to Pro Football Reference, Suggs’ incredible career ended after the 2019 season with 895 combined tackles (630 solo tackles), 139 sacks, 37 forced fumbles, 15 fumble recoveries, and 7 interceptions.
Career Achievements
Beyond what statistics could capture, Suggs’ dominant and flashy displays made him stand out. His excellent performances earned him several honors.
Suggs won the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2003. He went on to win the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2011, leading the league in forced fumbles that year.
The seven-time Pro Bowler made First-team All-Pro in 2011 and Second-team All-Pro in 2008. He earned a membership spot in the Baltimore Ravens Ring of Honor in 2023.
Suggs is a finalist for the 2025 Pro Football Hall of Fame.
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