A year ago, Kyle Van Noy was unsigned and at home, unsure of what his future in professional football would look like.
Today, the two-time Super Bowl champion and BYU legend is coming off a career year with the Baltimore Ravens, who have since made a multiyear commitment to keep Van Noy as one of the team’s defensive weapons and clubhouse leaders.
And now, in his 11th professional campaign, he has no intention of slowing down.
“I’m expecting big things from myself, and hopefully you guys are, too,” Van Noy told reporters at mandatory Ravens minicamp last week.
Despite being absent from training camp last season and remaining a free agent until late September, Van Noy made the most of his 14 games in Charm City, recording a career-high nine sacks and 48 quarterback pressures for the NFL’s leading defensive unit.
He helped the Ravens earn the top seed in the AFC. The team ultimately fell to the Kansas City Chiefs in the conference title game.
Van Noy’s veteran leadership and gritty, unselfish style of play made him a favorite among Baltimore’s blue-collar fan base.
Baltimore Ravens roster updates
While still considered one of the league’s top squads, Baltimore lost a somewhat concerning amount of talent in the offseason, as key defenders Jadeveon Clowney, Patrick Queen, Ronald Darby and Geno Stone all departed via free agency.
Additionally, defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald bolted to take the head coaching job in Seattle, leaving some uncertainty as to whether the Ravens can continue to play at such a high level on defense in 2024.
Re-signing Van Noy to a two-year, $9 million deal now seems all the more crucial for Baltimore, who will need to rely on the grizzled veteran for pass rush production while also mentoring the team’s young crop of first- and second-year edge players.
Van Noy won’t shy away from such a task. Even after 142 regular-season games, 42.5 sacks and two Super Bowl rings, he’s adamant that there’s still plenty left in his tank.
“I just want to continue to show myself and show people that I can still play at a high level,” Van Noy told reporters recently. “I don’t think I’ve lost a step — in my eyes — just because I’ve been playing different positions my entire career. In college, I played on the ball, and then in the NFL ... until 2019, I played off the ball. I would love to see how many people could stay in the league making that transformation.”