Ravens Process Emotions After Memorable Season Ends Sooner Than Planned

Patrick Ricard cleaned out his locker on Monday, surrounded by teammates who also gathered their possessions.

The mood was subdued. The Ravens were packing to go home without going to the Super Bowl. It's a routine that Ricard, a five-time Pro Bowl fullback, has gone through since his 2017 rookie season in Baltimore.

Ricard is rightfully proud of what the 2024 Ravens accomplished, winning the AFC North for the second straight year and being part of a historic offense. He is part of a winning culture that has helped the Ravens make the playoffs six times in the last seven years, an impressive span of consistent winning.

However, losing in the playoffs never gets easier, and the emotions from the 27-25 loss to the Buffalo Bills in Sunday's Divisional playoff game were still raw in the locker room on Monday.

"Whenever you don't go to the Super Bowl and win it, it's disappointing," Ricard said. "But you still have to have pride and look at the memories.

"This season and everything we accomplished as a team and individually, this is the most fun I've ever had playing football, best offense I've ever been part of. I got to play with the best running back in football (Derrick Henry), the best quarterback in football (Lamar Jackson). It's a lot to hang my hat on. At the end of the day, I want a Super Bowl. I want Baltimore to have another Super Bowl. But I don't look at it as a failure. We did a lot of great things, a lot of things we can learn from and improve."

WxYnTxq