The Baltimore Ravens were the favorites to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl, but the experience outweighed the odds.
The Ravens, led by two-time MVP Lamar Jackson, failed in their biggest game of the year and their season ended abruptly.
Instead, the Kansas City Chiefs remain the kings of the AFC and reached their fourth Super Bowl in five years.
Baltimore went 13-4 in the regular season, earning first place, but failed to reach the Super Bowl in Las Vegas.
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Kyle Hamilton of the Baltimore Ravens during pregame warmups against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium on December 25, 2023, in Santa Clara, California. (Ryan Kang/Getty Images)
Members of the Ravens, including Kyle Hamilton and Kyle Van Noy, still traveled to Las Vegas for media rounds instead of preparing for the big game.
Hamilton said his look back on the season has been positive.
“I've been here two days. I've done a lot of media work. It's the same question,” Hamilton told Fox News Digital in a recent interview. “But I think it's something to remember and be proud of, for sure.
“Obviously, we didn't get the result we wanted, but we were in the bottom four of 32 teams that thought they were going to win the Super Bowl before the season. To really be one game away, playing in a game where I feel like we could and we should have won, that shows how we will start next year.
“It's something to build on. We've been there and hopefully next year we'll get over the hump.”
Travis Kelce (87) of the Kansas City Chiefs catches a touchdown pass against Kyle Hamilton (14) of the Baltimore Ravens during the first quarter of the AFC championship game at M&T Bank Stadium on January 28, 2024 in Baltimore. (Rob Carr/Getty Images)
Van Noy is a two-time Super Bowl champion, so it's no surprise that he was a little more direct.
“This game hurt me quite a bit. I left the house for the first time on Tuesday, so it's been a whole week since I left the house,” says Van Noy. “It's a little disappointing, because I was in the last game and I know we have one of the best teams I've ever been in. And I feel like we choked.
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“It's unfortunate. It sucks. I hate talking about it, but it's facts. You have to live with it and move on.”
Deep down, Van Noy sees the positive, as does his All-Pro teammate Hamilton.
“I thought it was amazing. I had the opportunity to play with such a fun and talented group that I enjoyed going to work every day. It's not like that all the time, but the group we had was special. We were the best defense in the league .
“But we just didn't get it done in the game that mattered most in a quarter.”
Kyle Van Noy of the Baltimore Ravens leaves the field during a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at EverBank Stadium on December 17, 2023 in Jacksonville. (Perry Knotts/Getty Images)
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Van Noy signed with the Ravens in late September originally to join their practice squad. He then set a career-high with nine sacks. While his future in Baltimore is uncertain, he is confident the team will be fine with or without him.
“I'm excited for the future of the Ravens,” he said. “To me, they have the best core in the NFL with young players that are established… They will be good for years to come.”
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