OWINGS MILLS — Ravens outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy is playing with a chip on his shoulder.
Van Noy thinks he has been undervalued throughout his career and is determined to show that he can play at a high level even at age 33. He has been a catalyst for the Ravens’ pass rush and is second in the NFL with six sacks in four games behind Detroit’s Aidan Hutchinson (6 1/2).
“I’m always trying to prove that I can play – each and every year – at a high level,” Van Noy said. “I have goals and dreams that I’m always chasing, and I felt like I’ve been underrated my whole career, and I’m just going to continue to work. I feel like I’ve done that in the offseason, [and] I’ve done that while I’m here.”
Van Noy signed with the Ravens on September 27th, 2023, and finished with a career-high nine sacks in 14 games — his fewest appearances since 2015. The Ravens re-signed Van Noy to another one-year deal in April, and he is having an even better year.
Van Noy registered multiple sacks in back-to-back games and has at least one sack in five of his last six outings dating back to last season. Overall, he has 15 sacks in 18 career games with Baltimore. On Sunday, Van Noy had a key strip sack against Bills quarterback Josh Allen that swayed the momentum back to the Ravens in the 35-10 win.
Ravens coach John Harbaugh joked that Van Noy likes to remind his teammates and the media that age 33 is not old. Van Noy is certainly not showing any signs of slowing down.
“He’s playing like a vet – he’s smart; he’s in the right place,” Harbaugh said. “The thing that I’m impressed with – and this is not just him, this is the whole defense – the coaches, led by [defensive coordinator] Zach [Orr], have done a great job of emphasizing this, but he’s playing so hard.”
