Brian Billick Bio

After guiding the Ravens to their 1st non-losing season (8-8) in 1999, his 1st as head coach, Billick led Baltimore to the playoffs, or the brink of the postseason tournament every year, except 2005.

A year ago (2006), Billick and the Ravens produced the best regular-season mark in team history, winning the tough AFC North with a 13-3 mark. The team did not earn the postseason in 2002, when the Ravens fielded the youngest team in NFL history and fell a victory short in 2004 when key starters missed a total of 53 games.

Billick became the Ravens' head coach in 1999 (Jan. 19) after the new franchise produced consecutive seasons of 4-12 (1996), 6-9-1 (1997) and 6-10 (1998) in its 1st 3 seasons. Brian quickly changed the course for the team, producing the 8-8 mark. In year 2 (2000), Billick and the Ravens earned a 12-4 regular season record, and then swept through the playoffs to the Super Bowl XXXV championship. In 2001, with a spate of injuries to important contributors, his team battled to a 10-6 mark, grabbed a Wild Card berth and advanced to the Divisional Playoff round. After a dramatic salary cap cleansing, and with the youngest team in NFL history, the Ravens finished 2002 with a 7-9 mark. In 2003, with the 3rd-youngest team in the NFL, the Ravens won the AFC North with a 10-6 record. Baltimore was 9-7 in 2004, falling one victory short of the playoffs, before dropping to 6-10 in 2005. Billick brought the Ravens back to a franchise-best 13-3 mark last season, when they won the AFC North again.

Billick, 53, clearly demonstrated an ability to take NFL players to the highest levels of achievement. There's the Super Bowl victory following the 2000 season, along with his other successes in his 1st 8 seasons as head coach. And there are the numbers, both offensively and defensively. In 1998, Billick coordinated a Vikings' offense that scored the most points in NFL history (556); and

the 2000 Ravens' defense set the NFL's 16-game standard for fewest points allowed (165)

. (Prior to Billick's arrival in Baltimore in 1999, the Ravens' defense had been ranked no higher than 22nd in the league over the team's 1st 3 seasons. In each of Coach Billick's 1st 3 years as the Ravens' head coach, Baltimore's defense ranked 2nd in the league. In 2003 and 2004, the defense finished 3rd and 6th-best in the NFL, respectively. In 2005, the Ravens' defense was 5th in the league. In 2006, the Ravens' defense continued the stellar tradition under Brian by finishing 1st in the NFL.)

HERE'S A YEAR-BY-YEAR REVIEW OF THE RAVENS UNDER COACH BILLICK:

1999: The 8-8 Ravens produced the most victories in the franchise's 4 years, won the most consecutive games (4), the most road games (4), including the 1st victory at Pittsburgh, won 4 of the season's final 5 games, and finished with the best-ever Ravens' defense (2nd in the NFL).

2000: In his 2nd year as a head coach at any level, Billick directed the 2000 Ravens to the ultimate seasonal prize with a 34-7 Super Bowl XXXV victory over the New York Giants…Baltimore finished with a 16-4 record, blowing by opponents in the playoffs: 21-3 over Denver, 24-10 at Tennessee, and 16-3 at Oakland in the AFC Championship game…The Ravens finished 1st in 6 important league-wide defensive categories, including shutouts (4), points allowed per game (10.3), rushing yards allowed per game (60.6), rushing yards allowed per attempt (2.7), takeaways (49) and fumble recoveries (26)…The team's turnover ratio of +23 was also the NFL's best…Baltimore, with then-rookie RB Jamal Lewis gaining 1,364 yards, was the league's 5th-best rushing team and was 2nd in time of possession...K Matt Stover led the NFL with 35 field goals; Jermaine Lewis was 1st in punt returns (16.1-yard average) and P Kyle Richardson was 1st in the NFL with 35 punts inside-the-20…The Ravens became the 4th Wild Card team to win the Super Bowl, following the '97 Broncos, the '80 Raiders and the '69 Chiefs…Brian's ability to keep the team unified and focused that October, when the Ravens did not score a TD in 5-straight games and suffered a 3-game losing streak, is notable.

2001: Ravens defended their title with passion, but fell short of the goal of winning consecutive Super Bowl championships when they dropped a 27-10 decision at Pittsburgh, 1 game short of the AFC Championship…The list of injuries started early in 2001…The Ravens' hope to combine a power running game with the accurate passing of Elvis Grbac never materialized… RB Jamal Lewis and RT Leon Searcy, the team's significant offseason free agent addition, suffered season-ending injuries in the 1st week of training camp…TE Todd Heap, the team's 2001 No. 1 draft choice, who was expected to team with Shannon Sharpe in 2-tight end sets, sustained a high ankle sprain in week 2, and never fully recovered…There were games when none of the team's season-opening defensive front 4 could play…In all, Ravens starters missed a total of 54 regular-season games due to injuries, tops among the NFL's 12 playoff teams…Despite these obstacles, the Ravens finished the regular season at 10-6, and humbled the Dolphins in Miami, 20-3, in a Wild Card showdown…"I was very proud of that team. Despite the injuries in the first week of camp, they hung tough all year," Billick says.

2002: Despite the success in his 1st 3 seasons in Baltimore, many NFL observers marvel at the job Billick did in 2002…After an unprecedented salary cap cleansing, and equipped with the youngest team in NFL history (19 rookies on the opening day roster), the Ravens finished 7-9…Without Ray Lewis (5 games played) and starting QB Chris Redman, who missed the final 9 games of the season with a back injury, Baltimore scratched and clawed its way to a 7-7 mark and had legitimate playoff aspirations before losing heartbreaking games to Cle. and at Pit. in the season's final 2 games.

2003: With the 3rd-youngest team in the league, Billick put the Ravens back in the playoffs for the 3rd time in 4 years…Baltimore led the NFL in rushing and finished 3rd in the league in defense when the Ravens won their 1st-ever division title with a 10-6 mark.

2004: Baltimore, still young – 3rd-youngest in the AFC and 7th in the NFL - finished 2nd in the AFC North with a 9-7 mark, falling 1 game short of the playoffs…The Ravens lost 53 games to important starters, including the entire season of OLB Peter Boulware, 10 games by TE Todd Heap, 7 by CB Deion Sanders, 4 each by RB Jamal Lewis and LT Jonathan Ogden and 7 by C Mike Flynn…At its healthiest, Baltimore gave the Steelers (15-1) their lone regular season loss (30-13) in week 2.

2005: The Ravens suffered through a 6-10 campaign after losing 7 of their 1st 9 games. Starting QB Kyle Boller was injured in the season opener and missed the next 7 games…He was soon joined on the sidelines by a pair of NFL defensive players of the year: MLB Ray Lewis (10 missed games) and S Ed Reed (6)…In all, Baltimore lost 67 games to starters, 3rd most in the NFL…Highlight of the season was a 16-13 OT victory over the eventual Super Bowl champion Steelers.

2006: Baltimore won the AFC North by 5 games, producing the best regular-season record in team history at 13-3…The defense finished 1st in the league in points allowed (201), yards (264.1), 3rd downs converted (28.8%), fewest 1st downs allowed (236) and interceptions (28)…The team was 1st in takeaway/giveaway ratio (+17)…Billick took over the play calling when the Ravens dropped 2 games in a row (dropping to a 4-2 record)…The Ravens led the NFL in time of possession (32:49) and sack ratio (+43)…A new team record was established with 17 sacks allowed.