Baltimore Ravens outside linebacker Malik Hamm has dealt with injuries since the team signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2023. In his time away from the field, he’s gotten involved in a noble cause in the community.
The 24-year-old has begun contributing to “Show Your Soft Side,” a volunteer campaign created to combat animal abuse and promote the adoption of animals in need of a home.
The nonprofit was founded in Baltimore. Several Ravens, including offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley, fullback Patrick Ricard, former wide receiver Torrey Smith and even general manager Eric DeCosta, have been involved with the project.
Hamm was especially surprised to see how dedicated Stanley and Ricard, two of the most hard-nosed players on the Ravens, were to the cause. The former even started an organization of his own, the Ronnie Stanley Foundation, with a mission to improve the lives of rescue dogs.
Hamm wasn’t a likely candidate to be next in line with Show Your Soft Side.
“To be honest, I’m not really a big animal guy myself,” Hamm said on Glenn Clark Radio July 3. “I feel like a lot of times we end up forgetting about animals, whether they end up stranded or whether something happens to them, whether they’re rescued or not. I just thought it was a good opportunity to help out where I can.”
Hamm will be part of the “Softie Homecoming” event on July 17 at the Marriott Owings Mills Metro Centre. Numerous people who have contributed to the campaign in recent years will also attend, with adoptable animals at their sides as “dates.”
Those taking part in Show Your Soft Side are labeled “softies,” a title that Hamm doesn’t mind off the field.
“As long as you get in between the lines and you ain’t a softie no more, that’s all that really matters,” Hamm said.
On the field, the 6-foot-3, 254-pound linebacker from Lafayette College is looking forward to training camp later this month. A Baltimore native, Hamm suffered a torn ACL in late July 2024 that forced him to miss the season. He has kept a positive mindset nonetheless.
“I’ve just been leaning on my teammates and just thinking positively. I feel like that’s the biggest thing, don’t let the negative thoughts [enter] your head,” Hamm said. “Keep focusing on the positive things that’s happening, and eventually, you know, you’re going to look up and you’re going to be right where you want to be.”
Hamm had an illustrious five-year career at Lafayette, finishing as the program’s all-time leader in sacks with 32. The Baltimore City College product led the team in sacks (8.5), tackles for loss (12.5) and forced fumbles (3) during his final year in 2022 en route to earning his second Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year award and second-team FCS All-America honors.
Hamm stood out in the 2023 preseason, recording a sack against the Philadelphia Eagles and a forced fumble against the Washington Commanders, but has yet to play in a regular-season game. He believes there have been benefits to sitting and learning from some of the game’s best.
“You get to learn from guys like Roquan [Smith and] … Kyle Van Noy, you get to learn what the NFL is like,” Hamm said. “What it takes to be good, what’s the right way and the wrong way to do things. So, of course, you know with time I got all that experience, and you could just let it show on the field. That’s all that really matters.”
Hamm plans on remaining patient for his opportunity and, despite returning from a season-ending injury, doesn’t intend on holding back.
“Once you get on the field, you’ve got to go balls to the wall. That’s just how we operate with the Ravens,” Hamm said. “But you definitely do [have] to take your time in terms of knowing that you can’t be impatient in the opportunity that you’ve got. You’ve just got to let it come to you. And when it does come, that’s when you got to go balls to the wall.”
For more from Hamm, listen to the full interview here:
Photo Credit: Kenya Allen/PressBox