Ravens OLB Steven Means: ‘Nothing Short Of A Blessing’ To Return To Baltimore

In September 2014, Steven Means was waived by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers a little more than a year after being drafted by the Bucs in the 2013 NFL Draft.

A month later, the Baltimore Ravens signed Means to their practice squad. Means played just one game with Baltimore in 2014 before being released in 2015 prior to the start of the season, but his tenure left an impression.

“I started off in Tampa and needless to say my time in Tampa made me rethink what my career choice would be,” Means said on Glenn Clark Radio June 23. “It wasn’t the welcome to the NFL that I was hoping for coming into the league, but I’m forever grateful for them bringing me into the NFL, letting me get my feet in.

“… Coming to Baltimore I kind of expected it to be the same, and it was a total opposite. I didn’t step on the field on game day, but at practice, that was my dwelling. That was my sanctuary. That was my peace. … I just had fun out there.”

The 31-year-old signed a one-year contract with Baltimore earlier this month. Means was invited to try out for a roster spot during mandatory minicamp and earned the one-year deal. The 6-foot-3, 263-pound outside linebacker learned a lot from the Ravens the last time around and is grateful for his return to Charm City.

“To be able to get the opportunity to talk to [head coach John Harbaugh] and get on the phone with him and communicate with him and get an opportunity to come back here and do it all over again eight years later, it’s an honor and nothing short of a blessing,” Means said. “I prayed for it and manifested it and it just came right back full circle.”

After being cut by the Ravens, he bounced around with a couple of teams before finding a home in Atlanta. Means played in eight games and made four starts in 2018. He signed a one-year contract extension with the expectation of playing a key role for the Falcons’ defense in 2019.

However, Means suffered a season-ending Achilles injury during offseason OTAs, putting him on the sideline for the entirety of the 2019 season. Means returned to the Falcons in 2020 and had his best season to date, recording two forced fumbles, three sacks and six quarterback hits — all career-best marks.

Means stayed in Atlanta for a third and final season in 2021, starting 14 games. Now in Baltimore, Means joins an outside linebacker group as the oldest of the bunch. He can act as a mentor to up-and-comers Tyus Bowser, David Ojabo and Odafe Oweh.

Means was named the Falcons’ recipient for the 2020 Ed Block Courage Award because of his comeback from his torn Achilles. With Bowser and Ojabo both coming off Achilles injuries of their own, Means is certainly capable of being a mentor to them through the recovery process.

“It’s a young room and to be able to impart that on them and show them how I’ve seen [past teammates] go about their business and how it made me go about my business, just to be able to be that for them,” Means said.

One key contributor of the Ravens’ outside linebacker group who Means won’t be able to guide is Jaylon Ferguson, who tragically passed away June 22 at the age of 26.

“I was fortunate enough to meet him and know him for three days, and he was the first teammate I met with. … He was the first teammate that talked to me and kind of embraced me when I walked in the locker room,” Means said. “… Just sitting back and watching the way he interacted with everybody else, watching the way other people look at him, the way he treat other people throughout the locker room, equipment room, the food staff, the training room, he was a great person, I could tell.”

Eight years later from his first stint in Baltimore, Means is surrounded by almost a completely new team. Only two players from the 2014 Baltimore squad are currently on the 2022 roster — Justin Tucker and Brent Urban.

However, more of Means’ former teammates remain in the organization. Retired punter Sam Koch joined the Ravens’ coaching staff as a special teams consultant. Former special teams ace Anthony Levine works in a scouting and assistant role. Former linebacker Zach Orr was hired by Baltimore as its inside linebackers coach in February.

Means has been working to improve his game before the season starts. No matter how many more years left Means has in him — or if this is his final stop of his NFL journey — Means wants to be an important part of the Baltimore defense in 2022.

“I’m coming in and I’m taking this year like I want to empty the bucket. I want to empty the tank in a way that I never have so every single day. Starting a week ago, I’m coming every day,” Means said. “Whether I’m in the facility, whether I’m home, wherever I’m at … I’m putting all of my efforts into this season, I want to leave this season and say I don’t have nothing left.”

For more from Means, listen to the full interview here:

Photo Credit: Courtesy of the Atlanta Falcons