If you ask a casual fan what year did the ravens win super bowl titles, they might give you a quick "2000 and 2012." They aren't wrong, technically. But for anyone who actually lived through those seasons in Baltimore, those dates feel a little bit like a lie.
The Ravens won Super Bowl XXXV on January 28, 2001. Then they did it again for Super Bowl XLVII on February 3, 2013. NFL seasons are weird like that; they bleed across the calendar. So, while the "2000 Ravens" and "2012 Ravens" are the names etched into history, the actual trophies were lifted in the shivering dawns of the following years.
It’s about more than just dates on a trivia card, though. These two championships represent two completely different philosophies of football. One was a defensive execution that felt almost illegal in its dominance. The other was a chaotic, emotional, power-outage-interrupted ride that sent a first-ballot Hall of Famer out on top.
The 2000 Defensive Masterclass (Super Bowl XXXV)
Let’s talk about that first ring. Honestly, it shouldn't have worked. The 2000 Baltimore Ravens went an entire month—five straight games—without scoring a single offensive touchdown. Think about that. In a league designed for scoring, they just... didn't. And they still went 2-3 in that stretch because the defense was that terrifying.
When people ask what year did the ravens win super bowl honors for the first time, they are usually looking for the stats behind Ray Lewis and Tony Siragusa. That defense allowed only 165 points all season. That’s a record. It still stands. They weren't just playing football; they were taking away the other team's will to live.
By the time they reached the Super Bowl in January 2001, the outcome felt like a foregone conclusion. They were facing the New York Giants. The final score was 34-7. The Giants’ only points came on a kickoff return. The Ravens’ defense didn't even allow an offensive point in the biggest game of their lives.
Ray Lewis was the MVP, which makes sense. He was the heartbeat of that unit. But it was guys like Rod Woodson, Sam Adams, and a young Chris McAlister who turned that season into a nightmare for every quarterback in the league. If you look back at the tape, it’s brutal. It’s physical. It’s a style of football that the modern NFL rules basically don't allow anymore.
The 2012 "Mile High Miracle" and Beyond (Super Bowl XLVII)
Fast forward twelve years. The vibe was totally different.
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If the 2000 win was about inevitability, the 2012 win was about destiny. Or luck. Or maybe just Joe Flacco turning into a literal god for four weeks. This was Ray Lewis’s "Last Dance." He announced his retirement before the playoffs started, and the team just caught fire.
Most people remember the "Harbowl"—John Harbaugh coaching against his brother Jim, who was leading the San Francisco 49ers. But the Ravens shouldn't have even been there. They needed a 70-yard desperation heave to Jacoby Jones in Denver (the Mile High Miracle) just to survive the divisional round.
When searching for what year did the ravens win super bowl number two, you’ll find the date February 3, 2013. That night in New Orleans was bizarre. The Ravens were crushing the Niners. Then, the lights went out. A literal blackout in the Superdome. It lasted 34 minutes. When the lights came back on, the momentum had shifted. San Francisco stormed back.
It came down to a goal-line stand. Total drama. The Ravens held on to win 34-31. Joe Flacco ended that postseason with 11 touchdowns and zero interceptions. It was one of the greatest playoff runs by a quarterback in the history of the sport, regardless of what people think of Flacco’s "elite" status now.
Why the Gap Between Titles Matters
Twelve years is a long time in the NFL. In the span between 2001 and 2013, the league changed. It became more pass-heavy. The Ravens changed, too. They went from a team that won despite their quarterback (Trent Dilfer) to a team that won because of their quarterback.
It’s rare for a franchise to have such a clear identity. Even though the players changed, the "Play like a Raven" mantra stayed. It’s a mix of arrogance, physicality, and a "Baltimore against the world" mentality. You see it in the way they draft. You see it in the way they play even now with Lamar Jackson, though that elusive third ring hasn't arrived just yet.
The Seasons That Almost Were
You can't really understand the years the Ravens won without looking at the years they should have won.
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In 2006, they had arguably a better defense than the 2000 team. They went 13-3. Steve McNair was under center. But they ran into Peyton Manning and the Colts in the playoffs and couldn't score a touchdown. Total heartbreak.
Then there was 2011. Lee Evans dropped a pass in the end zone. Billy Cundiff missed a chip-shot field goal. If those two plays go differently, the Ravens probably win the Super Bowl that year instead of 2012.
- 2000 Season: Won Super Bowl XXXV (Jan 2001)
- 2011 Season: Lost AFC Championship in heartbreaking fashion
- 2012 Season: Won Super Bowl XLVII (Feb 2013)
- 2019 Season: 14-2 record, Lamar Jackson MVP, but upset by Tennessee in the playoffs
Football is a game of inches, and for the Ravens, those inches have usually been measured in hits that make the stadium shake.
Examining the Roster Construction
Ozzie Newsome. That’s the name you need to know. He was the architect.
Newsome’s philosophy was "Best Player Available." He didn't reach for needs. He just took the guys who were the best at football. That’s how he ended up with Jonathan Ogden and Ray Lewis in the same draft. That’s the foundation.
In 2000, the roster was built on massive human beings on the defensive line. They had "The Goose" and Sam Adams eating up blocks so Ray Lewis could run free. In 2012, it was more balanced. You had Anquan Boldin making impossible catches and Ed Reed lurking in the secondary like a ghost.
Honestly, the 2012 team wasn't even the best Ravens team of that era. The 2011 team was probably more talented. But 2012 had the "it" factor. Ray Lewis’s retirement announcement acted like a giant shot of adrenaline to a team that was stumbling toward the finish line of the regular season.
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The Statistical Anomalies
The 2000 Ravens defense allowed 2.7 yards per rushing attempt. That is insane. You can't even do that in a video game on the hardest setting. They also forced 49 turnovers.
In contrast, the 2012 Super Bowl run was about explosive plays. Jacoby Jones had a 108-yard kickoff return in the Super Bowl. That’s a record. He also had a 56-yard touchdown catch. The Ravens transitioned from a team that suffocated you to a team that could strike from anywhere on the field.
How to Verify Ravens Championship History
If you're ever in a heated debate at a bar about what year did the ravens win super bowl rings, just remember the 12-year gap.
- Check the Pro Football Reference pages for the 2000 and 2012 seasons.
- Look at the Super Bowl MVP list (Ray Lewis and Joe Flacco).
- Look for the "Blackout Bowl" or the "Harbowl" to confirm the 2012 details.
The Ravens remain one of the few franchises with multiple Super Bowl appearances and a perfect record (until 2026, they haven't lost a Super Bowl they appeared in). They are 2-0 on the biggest stage.
To truly understand the impact of these wins, look at the city of Baltimore. In 2001, the city was still healing from the loss of the Colts years earlier. That first championship validated the "new" team. It made the Ravens the team of Baltimore forever. By 2013, the win cemented them as a perennial heavyweight in the AFC, a status they've mostly maintained ever since.
For fans looking to relive these moments, the best next step is to watch the "America's Game" documentaries produced by NFL Films for both the 2000 and 2012 seasons. These provide behind-the-scenes locker room footage and interviews with Brian Billick and John Harbaugh that explain the psychology behind the wins. Additionally, visiting the M&T Bank Stadium "Ring of Honor" provides a physical timeline of the players who made these championship years possible.