Ravens Legend Opens Up on Hall of Fame Chances

Almost 17 years ago, Marshal Yanda came to the Baltimore Ravens as just a third-round pick from Iowa, unsure if he'd make it at the NFL level.

On Thursday, he could cement himself among the best to ever play the game.

Yanda, 40, is one of 15 modern-era player finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025, which will be unveiled at Thursday night's NFL Honors awards show. He's also one of five finalists in their first year of eligibility.

However, Yanda is simply going with the flow heading into Thursday's reveal.

"It's pretty crazy and it's obviously humbling," Yanda told Baltimoreravens.com "I have zero expectations. So going into it, I'm just very grateful."

"I was sitting in junior college in the fall of 2004. Three years later, I'm starting an NFL game for the Ravens," Yanda said. "Less than 1% make it to Division 1, let alone start on D-1, let alone be a starter in the NFL, then have a heck of a NFL career and be in the Ring of Honor for the Ravens."

Yanda was a solid piece of the Ravens' offensive line early on in his career, but he settled in as the starting right guard in 2011 and never looked back. He earned eight Pro Bowl selections in nine seasons from that point on, with the only season he didn't coming when he played just two games due to injury in 2017. He also earned first-team All-Pro honors in 2014 and 2015 and a spot on the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team.

His individual resume is incredibly impressive, but Yanda's greatest accomplishment is helping the Ravens win Super Bowl XLVII in 2012.

"You step back now, after all that's done, and it's like, 'Golly, that was a crazy climb to the top,'" Yanda said. "I'm very grateful that the Ravens drafted me. Being able to be consistent as a player and have a foundation with a franchise that's legit, that was a huge factor. If you're like chasing your tails every year, every other year and the whole staff's getting fired, how hard would that be to be consistent?"

Yanda isn't the only Raven up for Hall of Fame consideration this year. Legendary pass-rusher Terrell Suggs, who spent 16 years in Baltimore and is the franchise's all-time leader in sacks, is also a finalist in his first year of eligibility. Wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. and offensive tackle Willie Anderson, who spent time with the Ravens near the end of their careers, are eligible as well.

Needless to say, Yanda is rooting for his former teammates to get the call just as much as him, if not more so.

"One of my most common like questions I get is, 'What was it like playing with Ray Lewis?'" Yanda said. "But it's like, man, Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Terrell Suggs, Haloti Ngata – all those guys. They were unreal guys that I got to play with, and what we did on offense. There's a reason why the Ravens are who they are and why they're competitive every year."