Roundtable: Haloti Ngata retires as a Baltimore Raven

What do you think of when you hear the name, “Haloti Ngata?” Is it the warmonger in the trenches, crashing through blockers on his way to ruin a quarterback’s day? Is it the silly Thompson Creek commercials you couldn’t help but laugh at, or the 10, yes, 10, Royal Farms commercials he starred in? It’s likely both, as Ngata’s time in Baltimore is something all Ravens fans will lean back in their chair and smile upon.

Whenever I think of Haloti, I remember him at his peak, embarrassing just about everybody with the audacity to believe they could stop this Tongan freight train. His power and speed at 340 pounds left you rubbing your eyes to make sure they weren’t deceiving you. He will forever be remembered in Baltimore as a wrecking ball. To me, I’ll always remember him by this singular image against the Buffalo Bills. —Kyle P. Barber

Haloti is unquestionably the best defensive lineman in Ravens team history.

During his nine year tenure, Ngata’s disruption and versatility up front was invaluable to Baltimore’s sustained period of defensive dominance. As evidenced by his 51 tackles for loss and 74 quarterback hits, Haloti not only stonewalled double teams, he beat them routinely. Truly a humble giant off the field yet intimidating presence between the lines, Haloti was recognized as a premier down lineman of his generation with five All-Pro selections.

In the pantheon of Baltimore Ravens, Haloti Ngata deserves a place directly under all-time greats Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Terrell Suggs and Jonathan Ogden. — Vasilis Lericos

Ray Lewis asked for a dominant defensive interior lineman to keep him clean. Ozzie Newsome gave him Christmas in April of 2006 in the form of Haloti Ngata. Through the 2014 season, Ngata was nothing short of dominant. He swallowed lineman whole, engulfed running backs and broke Big Ben’s nose. Ngata was around 340 pounds during his playing career, but would haul his frame sideline to sideline at frightening speed. Ngata had two interceptions in one season as an interior defensive lineman in 2008. I can remember screaming, “GO HALOTI, GO,” while the former rugby standout trucked down the sideline in his rookie campaign after nabbing an interception. Ngata is as tough as they come, playing through countless injuries during his time as a Raven. He had a nose for the football, swatting down 38 passes over his illustrious career. His glowing smile, constant community service, jovial personality and toughness will always be endeared by ‘Ravens Nation.’ Without Haloti, the Ravens don’t win a second Super Bowl. Thank you for everything, Haloti. Happy retirement! — Spencer Schultz

Haloti Ngata represented the true embodiment of “Play like a Raven”. Ngata was a true professional from day one and went about his business the right way. He brought infectious energy and spirit to the Ravens locker room and was the anchor of a top-flight defense for several years. Ngata was consistently dominant and in my humble estimation, was always a bit underrated on a national scale. Nevertheless, Ravens fans always appreciated his efforts and he’ll always be remembered for playing a significant role in the team’s 2012 super bowl run. It’s hard to believe it’s been five seasons his time in Baltimore came to an end, but it’s only right that he returns to retire in the black and purple. Ngata had a great career and I wish him nothing but the best moving forward! — Frank J. Platko