June 22, 2022, has turn into the saddest and longest day in Ravens historical past.
Early Wednesday morning, the staff introduced that fourth-year exterior linebacker Jaylon Ferguson died at age 26 after authorities discovered him unresponsive late Tuesday in a North Baltimore dwelling.
Early within the night, a staff spokesman confirmed that former Ravens defensive sort out Tony Siragusa died at age 55. The explanation for demise was not instantly recognized.
The impression of the information was felt all through the group.
“Just a tough, tough day,” stated former Ravens exterior linebacker Peter Boulware, a one-time teammate of Siragusa’s on the 2000 staff that gained the franchise’s first Super Bowl title.
“We’ll get through it. My prayers are with this team and this organization. That’s who we are.”
Only just a few guys within the Ravens’ 26-year historical past exemplified toughness higher than the 6-foot-4, 330-pound Siragusa. At the identical time, he grew to become a voice for a staff in the hunt for management.
Some of the outdated Baltimore Colts followers in contrast Siragusa with late Hall of Fame defensive sort out Art Donovan, however Donovan was the happy-go-lucky kind.
Siragusa may very well be loud, obnoxious, vicious, nice and humorous, however he was an incredible teammate. If you took an affordable shot at any of the Ravens, you needed to reply to Siragusa or his high henchman, defensive finish Rob Burnett.
“First of all, my deepest condolences to his family,” Marvin Lewis, the architect and coordinator of the 2000 Ravens’ record-setting protection, stated in an announcement. “With Tony as a friend and teammate, you needed no other. He played and lived life to the fullest. He always reminded me to have fun.”
That was Siragusa’s nature. He had a larger-than-life character and he might gentle up any room. The locker room was his area. If you have been a reporter and your garments didn’t match, Siragusa was going to poke enjoyable.
If you didn’t comb your hair, Siragusa was going to get you. If your shirt was too tight, he’d ask why you had in your little brother’s T-shirt.
No one was spared the wrath or jokes. Not the media, not his teammates, not coach Brian Billick.
“If he stared at you, something was going to come out of his mouth,” Boulware stated. “The stare was deadly.”
I’d get into these exchanges with Siragusa, Burnett, defensive finish Michael McCrary and security Bennie Thompson perhaps two or 3 times per week. Siragusa was relentless in monitoring individuals down. He as soon as known as me at dwelling on his radio present to inform me I used to be an fool. The subsequent day we’d struggle after which the subsequent day we’d be within the locker room goofing round once more.
Players again then appreciated to banter, they usually revered you in case you talked as a lot trash as they did. The wisecracks and outgoing character led Siragusa to turn into a TV commentator and later a sideline reporter for Fox’s NFL protection.
But right here’s a facet of Siragusa few acquired to see.
“When I was a rookie and got to Baltimore, I was fortunate enough to live on same street with Tony so he’d take me home and his wife would cook me dinner,” former Ravens weakside linebacker Jamie Sharper stated. “Tony was a fun-filled guy, and everybody loved and looked up to him — the media and his teammates — but I got to see him as a good family man.”
Sharper hadn’t seen Siragusa in almost three years, however they reconnected at a reunion for the 2000 Super Bowl staff on May 23. He stated that event allowed him to hug Siragusa and take an image with him one final time.
“When we were done playing, Tony would open up his businesses to us,” Sharper stated, combating again tears. “He didn’t care what color you were, where you lived, what profession you were in, he treated everyone the same. And yes, he made fun of everyone.”
But Siragusa got here to Baltimore for a particular purpose. At the tip of the 1996 season, then-Ravens common supervisor Ozzie Newsome walked into the shed on the outdated advanced on the opposite facet of Owings Mills and delivered a message.
“Mike,” Newsome stated, “during the offseason, I am going to bring me in a big-ass lineman to anchor the middle of the defense. Write it down, and remember I told you that.”
Enter Tony Siragusa.
The Ravens completed 6-9-1 that season, however they have been simply starting to construct an incredible protection with three younger promising linebackers in Boulware, Sharpe and Ray Lewis within the center.
That trio will go down in historical past as probably the greatest ever within the NFL. Lewis is the best linebacker of all time, however that defensive position ran the staff in 2000.
Talk about robust guys?
McCrary and Burnett on the ends, and Siragusa and Sam Adams, the 2 sumo wrestlers, at sort out. No one ran on this protection, which gave up solely 165 factors in 16 video games that season.
Adams might disrupt operating performs and put strain on a quarterback with an explosive first step. Siragusa , in the meantime, might occupy two or three offensive linemen to maintain them off Lewis.
Forget Siragusa’s stats.
He had 159 complete tackles in his 5 seasons in Baltimore whereas Lewis had 768 throughout that span. Siragusa’s signature second got here when he drove Oakland quarterback Rich Gannon into the turf within the 2000 AFC Championship recreation.
Gannon suffered a shoulder harm and Siragusa was finally fined $10,000 for an unlawful hit, which he stated shortly after the Ravens’ victory was not achieved on function.
But a few month later, once I requested him if it was an intentional slam, he winked, laughed and replied: “What do you think?”
That was classic Siragusa. He performed exhausting and he lived that means, too. He was a particularly athletic and cellular large man who might speak numerous smack and again it up.
He “played like a Raven,” a time period first utilized by former coach Ted Marchibroda. Few gamers have been as fierce and aggressive.
And no Raven has laughed as a lot.
“I can’t believe Goose is gone. He was more than a teammate, he was my brother,” McCrary stated. “There was Goose, Burnett and me, we have been the D-line, however a lot extra. We have been at all times there for each other and he at all times managed to carry a smile to my face, regardless of how unhealthy issues could have appeared.
“There are so many memories. I will never think of him without smiling, and I will miss him. Watch out heaven’s gatekeepers, Goose in on the way and heaven will never be the same.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com