Terrell Suggs

Terrell Raymonn Suggs (born October 11, 1982), nicknamed "T-Sizzle", is an American football defensive end who is a free agent. He played college football at Arizona State, and was recognized as a unanimous All-American. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens tenth overall in the 2003 NFL Draft, and is the franchise's all-time leader in sacks.

Suggs is a seven-time Pro Bowl selection, a two time All-Pro, and was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2011. Suggs was part of the Ravens team that won Super Bowl XLVII and the Chiefs team that won Super Bowl LIV, beating the San Francisco 49ers in both games. As of the conclusion of the 2019 NFL season, Suggs ranked 8th all-time in career sacks in NFL history with 139. He is one of only two active players remaining from the 2003 Draft, the other being Jason Witten.

Early years

Suggs was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the son of Laverne Diane (née Kennedy) and Donald Lee Suggs. He was raised in St. Paul, Minnesota. While growing up in Saint Paul, he played youth football, as a center, with future major league MVP baseball player Joe Mauer as quarterback. Suggs moved to Arizona after the eighth grade. As a teenager, he attended multiple schools, the first being Chandler High School. He later transferred to Hamilton High School where he set the Arizona Class 5A record for rushing yards in a game with 367 against Yuma Kofa as a junior in 1999.

As a senior, Suggs was named a Parade high school All-American in 2000, Gatorade Arizona Player of the Year, the No. 1 jumbo athlete in the nation by SuperPrep Magazine, Arizona Player of the Year by USA Today as well as an All-American by USA Today and the 60th-best player in the nation by Sporting News.

In addition to football, Suggs lettered three times in basketball and once in track and field.

College career

Suggs decided to attend Arizona State University, where he played defensive end for coach Bruce Snyder and coach Dirk Koetter's Arizona State Sun Devils football teams from 2000 to 2002. He finished his career with 163 tackles, including a school, career-record 65.5 tackles for losses, and 44 quarterback sacks, 14 forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, two interceptions, and nine passes deflected. He set an NCAA single-season record with 24 sacks in 2002. Following his 2002 junior season, he was a first-team All-Pac-10 selection and the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year, and was recognized as a unanimous first-team All-American.

Professional career

Baltimore Ravens

2003–2010

Suggs was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round with the 10th overall pick in the 2003 NFL Draft, becoming one of the youngest defensive players ever drafted at only 20 years old until defensive tackle Amobi Okoye was drafted by the Houston Texans at the age of 19 in 2007.

Suggs enjoyed immediate success as a rookie in 2003 as he tied an NFL record by posting a sack in each of his first four games. He finished the season with 27 tackles (19 solo), 12 sacks (a Ravens franchise rookie record), 6 forced fumbles, 2 pass deflections, and 1 interception, earning him Defensive Rookie of the Year honors while only starting one game that year.

In 2004, Suggs was elected to his first Pro Bowl as he recorded 10.5 sacks and 60 tackles (45 solo).

In 2005, the Ravens' new defensive co-ordinator Rex Ryan, son of famous defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan, moved Suggs from outside linebacker to defensive end in many of the defensive schemes. Despite registering a then-career-low eight sacks, Suggs also set new career-highs in tackles with 69 (46 solo) and interceptions with two.

In 2006, Suggs was part of the NFL's best overall defense, the unit allowing a league-low 12.6 points per game. He recorded 64 tackles (46 solo), 9.5 sacks, and set a new career-high in pass deflections with eight. After the season, he was voted to the Pro Bowl for the second time. He was a major contributor as the Ravens went 13–3. For the season, Suggs started nine games at right defensive end in the Ravens base 4-3 and seven games at outside linebacker when the Ravens started game in a base 3-4 defense. Suggs also earned attention for his flashy playing style, "Suggs evolved into one of the league's best pass-rushers whether he is blitzing as a linebacker or rushing from defensive end with one hand on the ground."

The following season in 2007, Suggs made 80 tackles (52 solo) and five sacks, as he and the Ravens plummeted to 5-11. Like the season before, Suggs was a hybrid defensive end/linebacker, playing 50 percent of the defensive snaps at defensive end in the Ravens base 4-3 defense.

On February 19, 2008, the Ravens placed the franchise tag on Suggs. He initially filed a grievance because the team had designated him as a LB with the franchise tag rather than a DE, which resulted in a monetary difference of about $800,000. Despite being unhappy with the franchise tag, Suggs reported to off-season mini-camps to practice with the team. On May 13, 2008, he reached an agreement with the team to split the difference in the franchise tag amounts of a LB and a DE and drop his grievance.

In Week 7 of the 2008 NFL season, Suggs intercepted a pass from Chad Pennington of the Miami Dolphins and returned it 44 yards for a touchdown, the first pick six of his professional career. Two weeks later, he intercepted Derek Anderson of the Cleveland Browns for a game-sealing touchdown. At season's end, he was named to his third Pro Bowl after producing 68 tackles (53 solo), 2 forced fumbles and 8 sacks to go along with the 2 interceptions, a new career-high 9 pass break-ups and 2 touchdowns. During the 2008–09 NFL playoffs, Suggs recorded sacks in all three of the Ravens' post-season games, including two in the AFC Championship game against Ben Roethlisberger and the division-winning Pittsburgh Steelers, whom Suggs had sacked often over the years.

On February 18, 2009, he was once again given the Ravens' franchise tag. On July 15, 2009, the Ravens signed him to a 6-year, $62.5 million contract. His bonus money ($33.1 million) made him the highest paid linebacker in NFL history.

The 2009 season was not as productive for Suggs as he recorded a career-low in sacks with 4.5. Playing above his normal playing weight, he also missed the first three games of his career due to injury after quarterback Brady Quinn dove at his legs after cornerback Chris Carr intercepted a pass. In the wild Card playoff game against the New England Patriots, Suggs sacked and forced a Tom Brady fumble before recovering the ball on the Patriots' opening drive, helping the Ravens ultimately win 33–14.

In 2010, Suggs compiled 68 tackles (53 solo), 11.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles and 2 pass deflections. In the play-off win over the Kansas City Chiefs in the wild-card round, he made 4 tackles (all solo) and two sacks. Against the Steelers in the divisional playoff round, he recorded six tackles (5 solo), a career-high three sacks, and a forced fumble that was recovered and returned for a touchdown by fellow defensive end Cory Redding.

2011 season - Defensive Player of the Year

On the NFL's first of the annual Top 100 Players list, Suggs came in at #40. 2011 saw Suggs have the best season of his career, which started with a Defensive Player of the Week-winning performance against the Steelers. In a 35-7 blowout, Suggs recorded three sacks and two forced fumbles, contributing heavily to the defense's seven turnovers.

Suggs would have two more games that season with three sacks, the second on Thanksgiving in a 16–6 win over the NFC's number-two-seeded San Francisco 49ers and the third in a 24–10 win over a hapless Colts team (he also had three forced fumbles in the latter). He finished the season with career highs in sacks (14) and forced fumbles (7), tied his career high for interceptions (2), and also had 50 total tackles and six passes defended. He was named to his fifth Pro Bowl and first All-Pro first team.

The Ravens entered the playoffs with a 12–4 record and the number-two seed in the AFC. They had their season ended by the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship game after a dropped touchdown by Lee Evans and a notorious missed field goal by Billy Cundiff. On February 4, 2012, Suggs was named the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year.

2012 season - Super Bowl XLVII run

After the conclusion of the 2011 season, Suggs was named #11 on the NFL Top 100 list for 2012. During the 2012 offseason, Suggs tore his Achilles tendon allegedly while playing basketball; though Suggs and his agent have claimed that he was hurt while doing conditioning workouts. Owner Steve Bisciotti stated that it was no concern where he hurt it and the Ravens will not try to avoid paying him his contract. Some medical experts believed that Suggs' injury should have forced him to miss the 2012 season, however Suggs claimed he would return by November 2012. On October 20, 2012, Suggs was removed from the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, allowing him to play the next day against the Houston Texans. Suggs has been the first player in the NFL to recover so quickly from such serious injury. Suggs' return surprised many, as he finished the game with 4 tackles (3 solo), 1 pass defended, and 1 sack, less than 5 and a half months after having Achilles tendon surgery.

Suggs was key in the Ravens win over the Denver Broncos in the divisional round of the playoffs with two sacks on Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning, after which, the Ravens advanced to New England in a rematch of the previous year's AFC Championship Game where they defeated the New England Patriots by a score of 28–13. The win gave Suggs his first ever AFC Championship and his first appearance in the Super Bowl, being Super Bowl XLVII against the San Francisco 49ers. In that game, the Ravens won 34–31, earning Suggs his first Super Bowl ring.

2013 season

Suggs made the Top 100 Players list for the third straight year, in 2013, being ranked at #56. Within 12 weeks into the season, Suggs had registered nine sacks and one fumble recovery. Overall in 2013, Suggs started all 16 games with 80 tackles, a fumble recovery, and 10 sacks. For his successful 2013 season, Suggs was elected to participate in the Pro Bowl for his sixth such nomination.

2014 season

Suggs made the NFL Top 100 Players list again in 2014, as he was ranked #26. Suggs recorded his first sack of the season against Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (it was a half-sack). In Weeks 6–8, he had one sack in each game In Week 7, the sack he recorded on Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan was for a safety, and he also recovered a fumble.

From Weeks 10-17 (other than the Week 11 bye week), Suggs recorded at least one sack in each game, with the one exception being the Week 16 loss to the Houston Texans (a game in which the Ravens had no sacks as a whole). In Week 10, Suggs had 1.5 sacks on rookie quarterback Zach Mettenberger. Two weeks later, in a Monday Night Football matchup against the New Orleans Saints, Suggs accounted for a sack against Saints quarterback Drew Brees. With the hit, Suggs became the 31st player in NFL history to register over 100 sacks, and the first member of the Baltimore Ravens to achieve such a milestone.

In the Ravens' season finale, Suggs recorded a sack, a defended pass and a fumble recovery, all on Browns first-time-starting quarterback Connor Shaw. The Ravens clinched a Wild Card spot in the playoffs that day. Suggs finished the year with 12 sacks, a pass defended, a fumble recovery, and a safety. He and Elvis Dumervil led the league in sacks by a pair with 29 (Dumervil led the Ravens with 17).

In the Wild Card Round of the playoffs, Suggs intercepted a pass from Ben Roethlisberger in the fourth quarter. The ball bounced off the hands of running back Ben Tate, the intended receiver on the play, and landed between a diving Suggs's legs. The Ravens won this game 30–17 and moved onto the Divisional Round against the New England Patriots, where they lost to the eventual Super Bowl champions.

2015 season

For the fifth straight year, Suggs made the Top 100 Players list at #84. As of 2018, this is his most recent appearance on the list. In the season opener against the Denver Broncos on September 13, 2015, Suggs suffered an achilles injury and left the game. Hours later, an MRI revealed that his achilles was torn, which prematurely ended his 2015 season.

2016 season

In the 2016 season, Suggs appeared in 15 games. He recorded 8.0 sacks, 28 tackles, seven assisted tackles, four passes defended, and three forced fumbles.

2017 season

In the 2017 season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals, Suggs recorded two sacks and forced a fumble off of quarterback Andy Dalton in the third quarter of the 20–0 victory. The fumble, which was recovered by teammate Michael Pierce, occurred in the Ravens' red zone and helped preserve the eventual shutout victory. In Week 2, against the Cleveland Browns, he forced a fumble off DeShone Kizer, which help set up the Ravens' offense on an eventual touchdown scoring drive in the 24–10 victory. In weeks 11 and 12, he had two sacks in each game, helping the Ravens win back-to-back times. On December 19, 2017, Suggs was named to his seventh Pro Bowl.

The Ravens finished the season with a 9–7 record, but missed the playoffs due to blowing the lead in the last fifty seconds of the fourth quarter in their season finale against the Bengals. Suggs missed out on 2018's Top 100 list again, but was honorably ranked at 104 in the list of the top ten players who didn't make the cut.

2018 season

In 2018, Suggs finished tied for second on the team with seven sacks, along with 34 combined tackles, six passes defended, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery he returned for a touchdown in Week 12 against the Oakland Raiders.

Arizona Cardinals

On March 13, 2019, Suggs signed a one-year, $7 million deal with the Arizona Cardinals. Suggs made his debut with the Cardinals in Week 1 against the Detroit Lions. In the game, Suggs sacked Matthew Stafford twice in the 27–27 tie. Week 2 of the 2019 season saw Suggs return to Baltimore for the first time in an opposing team's jersey. As Suggs ran onto the field he received a standing ovation from Ravens fans. He had one solo tackle during the Cardinals' 23–17 loss. In week 4 against the Seattle Seahawks, Suggs sacked Russell Wilson 1.5 times in the 27–10 loss. On December 13, 2019, Suggs was released by the Cardinals.

Kansas City Chiefs

On December 16, 2019, Suggs was claimed off waivers by the Kansas City Chiefs. He won his second ring in Super Bowl LIV, where the Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers 31–20. In addition, Suggs moved to the Defensive End position in the 4-3 defense.

NFL statistics

Regular season

Post-season

Personal life

In December 2003, Suggs was charged with felony aggravated assault stemming from a March 2003 incident in Arizona, in which it was alleged that a verbal altercation after a basketball tournament led to Suggs assaulting a man with a piece of reinforcement rod. Apparently the parties had a disagreement during the tournament, and it was claimed that Suggs swung at the victim and broke his nose and cheekbone. In June 2005, however, Suggs was acquitted of the charges, with a juror commenting that guilt beyond a reasonable doubt was not established.

A series of allegations were made by his girlfriend, Candace Williams; in 2009 she alleged he threw a soap dispenser at her head, struck her in the chest with his hand and held a bottle of bleach over her and their 1-year-old son. No criminal charges were filed against Suggs, however, and Williams' subsequent lawsuit was dismissed. In September 2012, he was accused of punching and dragging his girlfriend Candace Williams beside his car while his two children were inside. A temporary protective order was placed against Suggs, who was required to surrender his seven firearms, which included an AK-47, and a judge dismissed the order on December 12. Despite Suggs's rocky relationship with Williams, the two married on December 14, 2012, and the protective order was removed. The couple have two children together. His wife filed for divorce in 2015.

Suggs guest starred in Season 2 of the popular HBO series Ballers.

Suggs considers himself half-Jewish, and his paternal grandfather was Jewish. He has had a Jewish star tattooed on his right arm since 2009, which he says he got "to remind me of who I am," and wears a Star of David necklace. Suggs wore a Star of David on his cleats during a game in October 2019 to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the deadly Tree of Life*Or L’Simcha Synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh.

Ravens franchise records

• Most career sacks (132.5)
• Most career forced fumbles (35)