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Ravens tight end Dennis Pitta has signed his second-round restricted tender for the 2013 season.

It was only a formality, but the tender will pay the fourth-year tight end $2.02 million this season before he is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent next winter. General manager Ozzie Newsome and the Ravens have already expressed interest in signing the tight end to a long-term contract, but that task often becomes difficult when a player enters his final season before free agency.

In 2012, Pitta caught a career-high 61 passes for 669 yards and seven touchdowns as he continued to be one of quarterback Joe Flacco’s favorite targets. The 27-year-old added to those numbers in the Ravens’ run to a Super Bowl title, making 14 receptions for 163 yards and three touchdowns in four postseason games.

With the offseason trade of Anquan Boldin and the Ravens not yet bringing in a veteran receiver to replace him, many have speculated that Pitta will see more time lining up in the slot and will have an expanded role in helping to replace Boldin’s production. Such a plan would certainly help Baltimore’s passing attack but would also complicate efforts to re-sign Pitta to an extension prior to the end of the 2013 season.

In other news, the Ravens announced the signings of four rookie free agents: wide receiver Rashaad Carter from Tusculum, cornerback Moe Lee from Utah, safety Gary Walker from Idaho, and outside linebacker Meshak Williams from Kansas State. Williams, of course, was a teammate of second-round linebacker Arthur Brown.

Baltimore also announced the release of wide receiver Tori Gurley, who played at South Carolina.

Since the Baltimore Ravens claimed a 34-31 victory over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII, I’ve found myself asking one particular question in regards to QB Joe Flacco. I’ve probably asked some 15 or 20 NFL analysts who have appeared on “The Reality Check” on WNST that same question.

“Do the Ravens need to put the right playmakers around Flacco to prop him up or should they assume he’s good enough to make lesser players around him better?”

I have probably tended to lean a little bit more to the former. I made my feelings about the team’s decision to trade Anquan Boldin over a desire to save a couple million bucks quite clear. The Ravens however have made it clear at least thus far that they’re operating with a lean to the latter.

The Ravens lost six starters from their Super Bowl winning defense, replacing them with potential starters in Chris Canty, Marcus Spears, Elvis Dumervil, Rolando McClain, Michael Huff and top Draft picks Matt Elam and Arthur Brown. At this time, three starters from their Super Bowl winning offense are currently not on the roster and the Ravens have replaced them with…well…I mean…I guess they DID draft a reserve fullback?

Coming out of the NFL Draft, the Ravens still find themselves particularly thin at receiver. Torrey Smith and his freshly-trimmed locks lead the way with Jacoby Jones, Tandon Doss, David Reed, LaQuan Williams, Deonte Thompson, Tommy Streeter and Aaron Mellette falling in some sort of similar order behind. The Ravens will certainly have high expectations for TE Dennis Pitta (who we might not see back in Baltimore for awhile as he hopes to get a long-term deal) as well as fellow TE Ed Dickson.

This group makes you believe the Ravens are thinking more along the lines of “Joe Flacco is good enough to make these guys better.” It’s not so terribly unthinkable that this group could help the Ravens win a third straight AFC North title. Certainly the New York Giants felt comfortable enough with Eli Manning under center that they were willing to simply elevate Domenik Hixon and some unknown receiver from UMass named Victor Cruz going into the 2011 season. For their troubles, the Giants were rewarded with their second Vince Lombardi Trophy in the Tom Coughlin era.

Returning with this group would inherently mark a belief that Joe Flacco has reached the level where his ability in Jim Caldwell’s offense is enough to make those he throws the football to better. A decision to obtain a veteran WR cut before the start of the season (similar to what the Ravens did with T.J. Houshmandzadeh in 2010) or to deal for a veteran WR (similar to what the Ravens did in 2011 with Lee Evans) or even to add one more current free agent receiver (Brandon Stokley remains on the market?) might mark more of a belief that the team still needs to help prop up their quarterback via more talented offensive weapons.

A similar situation continues to play out at left tackle. 5th round pick Ricky Wagner is unlikely to be of any sort of help this season, meaning the Ravens’ options are Kelechi Osemele, a possible return of Bryant McKinnie and similar late offseason considerations.

The Ravens may well believe Flacco’s quicker release in the Caldwell offense makes the need for a left tackle upgrade less necessary. The team won a Super Bowl with a left tackle who played significantly in only one regular season game. The Super Bowl winning left tackles in the prior three seasons were Jermon Bushrod, Chad Clifton and David Diehl. All were nice players, none Hall of Famers. The quarterbacks they protected for were Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers and Eli Manning.

The Ravens made it quite clear that they feel Flacco is in that group, giving him a contract worth $120 million ($52 million guaranteed) this offseason. That decision made the organization’s faith in their sixth year starter evident, but the decisions they’ve made since then have made it even more so apparent.

The roster we see at OTA’s and minicamp in the next month won’t be a direct reflection of the roster that invades Denver September 5th to face the Broncos, but there won’t be many drastic roster changes to be made.

The Ravens won’t be better offensively in 2013 because of the big splash they made in free agency. They won’t be better offensively in 2013 because they drafted a hot shot receiver or mountainous offensive tackle out of the SEC at the back end of the first round.

Instead, they’ll hope to be better offensively in 2013 simply because of how they REALLY spent their money in free agency…their quarterback. They clearly think the guy is ready to make the rest of the group even better.

I guess my question has essentially been answered. The only question moving forward will be whether or not the decision was the right one.

-G

(Updated: 5:40 p.m.)

Entering the offseason with six restricted free agents, the Ravens have retained the rights to all of them through different channels.

Tight ends Dennis Pitta and Ed Dickson and defensive lineman Arthur Jones were each tendered contracts as Pitta and Jones received second-round designations while Dickson was awarded an original-round tender on Monday. Pitta and Jones are each in line to make $2.02 million this season while Dickson’s tender is worth $1.323 million for the 2013 season.

Restricted free agents who ultimately sign and play for their one-year tender are eligible to become unrestricted free agents after the 2013 season. It’s also possible that general manager Ozzie Newsome could explore a long-term contract for Pitta as the Ravens ultimately did with cornerback Lardarius Webb last offseason, but the tender prevents him from hitting the open market in the sense of an unrestricted free agent.

A second-round designation allows another team to negotiate with and sign a player to an offer sheet, but it provides seven days for the original team to match the offer. If that team elects not to match, it receives a second-round pick from the other team as compensation for losing the player.

The original-round tender provides compensation equal to the round in which the player was drafted as a rookie. In Dickson’s case, the Ravens would receive another team’s third-round draft choice if they elected not to match a signed offer sheet.

Wide receiver David Reed was non-tendered but signed a two-year contract to remain with the Ravens. According to The Sun, the deal reportedly has a maximum value of almost $2.5 million but will be a lower cap number than the $1.323 million for the original-round tender, the lowest amount you can tender a restricted free agent.

Long snapper Morgan Cox was also non-tendered and agreed to a two-year deal.

Offensive lineman Ramon Harewood was the last of the six restricted free agents to be addressed as the Ravens reached an agreement on a one-year deal with the 2010 sixth-round pick.

Teams had until 3:59 p.m. on Tuesday to tender contracts to restricted free agents or they would become unrestricted free agents for the start of the new league year.

General manager Ozzie Newsome and the Ravens front office had to wake up smiling the morning after reaching an agreement in principle with Joe Flacco on a six-year, $120.6 million contract that’s expected to be finalized Monday.

The move not only locks up the franchise quarterback for the long haul, but it’s also expected to provide short-term relief to a tight salary cap that would have had a difficult time absorbing a minimum of $14.9 million with the non-exclusive franchise tag. All the terms of the record-setting contract have yet to be released, but the 2013 cap number is just $7 million, according to CBS Sports’ Jason LaCanfora.

Estimated to have roughly $18 million in cap space before accounting for their quarterback or any of their unrestricted, restricted, or exclusive-rights free agents, the Ravens will now have some space to maneuver but not enough to change the entire landscape of their offseason. Moderation will be the key as Newsome will look to sign a couple of his own unrestricted free agents, make wise decisions on his seven restricted free agents, and then turn toward the open market to explore some shrewd signings.

Here’s a rundown of what to expect as the Ravens address their remaining free agents:

No tag this year

The first order of business will be the potential use of the franchise tag as teams have until Monday at 4 p.m. to designate a player if they so desire. Many have begun asking if Newsome and the Ravens will now use the tag on outside linebacker Paul Kruger or inside linebacker Dannell Ellerbe, but we received a preliminary answer to that query just a few days after the Super Bowl.

“If we get a deal done with Joe, we will not franchise another player,” said Newsome as he appealed to owner Steve Bisciotti with a humorous tone. “We will not do that. You are OK with that, right?”

The 2013 tag numbers released by the NFL on Friday suggest that stance isn’t changing as the Ravens would be looking at a $9.6 million cost at the linebacker position. As it relates to Kruger, the pass rusher could contest that he should be considered a defensive end, which commands an $11.175 million tag number for the 2013 season.

Those price tags are far too expensive for Kruger or Ellerbe as the Ravens would be looking at massive cuts to accommodate the franchise tag, regardless of what Flacco’s 2013 cap number ultimately is.

Cuts still coming

We’ve spent plenty of time discussing which veterans might be on the chopping block due to cap constraints and the Ravens will still pull the trigger on a few. It just won’t be the mass exodus that was feared if Flacco had received either of the franchise tag options.

Offensive lineman Bobbie Williams is the easiest decision as the Ravens will clear $1.2 million from their cap by releasing the 36-year-old lineman. Linebackers Brendon Ayanbadejo ($806,000 in savings) and Jameel McClain ($1.8 million saved) are also likely to go, with McClain becoming far more expendable if the Ravens can sign Dannell Ellerbe to a long-term deal before he hits the open market.

It would be an unpopular decision, but fullback Vonta Leach remains an intriguing option to release as it would save $3 million in cap space. Leach is tremendous at what he does as the best pure fullback in the NFL, but the Ravens are clearly moving toward a pass-heavy attack after committing the richest contract in league history to their quarterback.

The 31-year-old Leach took part in just 39.7 percent of the Ravens’ offensive snaps in the postseason, so can you justify devoting that big of a cap number to the fullback with other pressing needs at left tackle and all over the defense? Should they part ways with Leach, tight end Ed Dickson could serve in more of an H-back capacity and the Ravens could look to a younger, cheaper option coming out of college.

The Flacco contract means wide receivers Anquan Boldin and Jacoby Jones are very likely to be safe, but the Ravens could explore reasonable contract extensions for both as they enter the final years of their respective contracts, thus lowering their cap numbers for 2013. This is especially true for Boldin, who carries a $7.5 million number for the upcoming season and proved himself worthy of a couple more years in Baltimore after an outstanding postseason.

Prioritizing unrestricted free agents

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Obviously when setting the tone for the Ravens’ off-season, everything takes a back seat to resolving the Joe Flacco contract situation. The importance thereof is only magnified by the realization that there are so many questions still to be answered, so many decisions still to be made; but until the Ravens know for sure what their quarterback’s financial future may hold, everything else is essentially on hold. That however doesn’t diminish the fact that there are important decisions outside the QB position to be made before the Ravens begin their title defense and prepare for the 2013 campaign.

Conceding that the importance of Flacco’s deal is paramount to everything else, here are the next 5 major points of consideration for the Ravens to deal with this off-season in order to have hopes of a 6^th straight post-season trip.

#1 – Suring Up the Left Tackle Situation

If Flacco was the biggest difference maker for the Ravens in the playoffs, then further investigation is merited in determining what helped him turn his season, and his reputation, around. For my money, it began with the offensive line. After a season in the proverbial “dog house” Bryant McKinnie was finally given a chance to show and prove, and from there the offense never seemed to look back.

In the lead up to the Broncos game, no one seemed to have any concerns about the Denver secondary. Hindsight might suggest that to have been a result of the constant quarterback pressure the Broncos were able to count on from Von Miller and Elvis Dumervil. Without that pressure however, the Ravens found and readily exploited cracks in the Broncos secondary that no one seemed to know were there in the first place.

McKinnie and the Ravens began this season on unceremonious terms, and pretty much kept things that way until the end. Having proven his value, albeit over a 4-game stretch, there’s still no real assurance that the Ravens will or should trust McKinneie enough to agree to terms on a multi-year deal. On the other side of that coin, there’s no good reason to think McKinnie will feel any special brand of loyalty to the Ravens when others come calling on the open market.

What’s undeniable about the whole episode is that by replacing Michael Oher with McKinnie at LT, the Ravens were able to move Oher to his natural RT position where he represented an improvement over Kelechi Osemele. Osemele then moved to the LG position that the Ravens struggled to find an answer for all season too. This three-fold improvement made the Ravens line exponentially better; and no matter how they address LT going forward, any “solution” involving moving Oher and Osemele back to the positions they played for the majority of 2012 has to be considered multiple steps backward.

#2 – Replacing Jim Caldwell

Continuing with the theme of what was different for the Ravens offense at the end, the departure of Cam Cameron and the elevation of Jim Caldwell to the offensive coordinator position would seem to be the other major factor. The performance of Caldwell’s offense has been celebrated widely within the fan base, and certainly hasn’t been lost on the league at large either.

In an off-season where everyone seems dissatisfied with the impact of the Rooney Rule and the lack of minority hires made in filling head coaching vacancies, Caldwell will all but surely be a hot head coaching candidate at the end of next season. Even getting to the Super Bowl again, and therefore delaying the process for teams interested in Caldwell might not be enough to slow his roll.

In what looks to be a lame duck season for Caldwell with the Ravens, it’s important to figure out if the next guy in line is someone already on staff, or how the team can look to groom a next guy in line, potentially by hiring him as a quarterback coach / OC in waiting.

TIGHT END DENNIS PITTA

(on weight at BYU) “My senior year in high school I was about 185 pounds.  and 6-5 so that’s pretty skinny. I got to BYU, and I got to about 210, so I was a little bit bigger but very undersized for the tight end position.”

(on wanting to be a tight end) “I wasn’t anticipating moving to tight end, but quickly after spring they made the switch.”

(on admiration of Jerry Rice and Steve Young) “I grew up in southern California so we always watched the 49ers. I was a big fan of Steve Young. He was a BYU guy as well. Ricky Waters, Jerry Rice and that whole crew was a football team growing up so its kind of special to be in this position, especially to be able to go against a team that I idolized growing up.”

(on catching his first NFL touchdown pass) “Last season, I played Thursday night football on Thanksgiving day and it was my first touchdown in my NFL career. I happened to come across the 49ers.”

(on career growth after first touchdown) “You know, it’s grown a lot. I’ve gotten more opportunities to contribute and I;ve been able to make the most of those opportunities. That’s what this league is about. When you get an opportunity you’ve got to be able to capitalize and over the past few years I’ve been able to do that.”

(on Joe Flacco’s contract) “Joe isn’t one to worry about contracts, negotiations and all that. I think he is focused on football, which has helped him. He’s a confident player. He knows that he’s going to go out, play well, and all that other stuff will work itself out. He’s played great for us in the post season and really gotten into a rhythm. He’s the reason why we’re sitting here today.”

(on chemistry with Joe versus former QB Max Hall) “I was related to Max so that certainly helped. Max and I were really good friends in high school, college rather, and had a great relationship. I think when you have that kind of relationship with a quarterback it certainly helps. You develop a trust on the field as well, which is important. Although I’m not related to Joe, we’re pretty good friends.”

(on admiration of Flacco) “He doesn’t worry about what other people say. He’s been highly criticized throughout his career for whatever reason. He stays confident, consistent, poised and doesn’t let anything distract him. That’s what I admire about him.  He just continues to play well for us.”

(on what offensive coordinator Jim Caldwell has done for Flacco) “Jim’s done a great job of making sure that Joe’s fundamentals are solid. I think as an offensive coordinator he’s given Joe an opportunity to get a rhythm in games and get comfortable. You’ve seen that over this last stretch that we’ve had.”

(on any change in Joe’s confidence) “You know I don’t notice a difference, he’s been the same guy from day one. I think that’s what makes him good. He stays consistent and confident all throughout. This time around he’s getting the chance to showcase what he’s capable of.”

(on Flacco’s calls at the  line of scrimmage) “He’s always had enough freedom to make calls at the line and get us in the best possible situation for every play. I think he does a great job of decision making during the play and getting the ball to the right guy.”

(on being more productive after a catch) “That’s not anything I’ve noticed. You try and catch it and run as much as you can. I think in college they paid a little more attention to you when you get the ball. You’ve got a little bit of a tighter window from your coverage I guess.”

(on 49ers defense) “We expect them to be very good. They’re one of the best defenses in the NFL. Top to bottom they’ve got talented players all over. We’ve got our work cut out for us all week, and it’s certainly a challenge but we’re excited to play.”

(on ideal Sunday) “After 60 minutes of football, having that confetti fall on you and know that you’re world champions. That would be a perfect outcome for us.”

(on playing in the Superdome against Tulane in college) “That was a fun game. I think we had more fans there than they did. So playing in a venue like that is huge, even when it’s not packed. Fortunately, I got a little bit of experience playing in that venue.”

(on being a vital part of the offense) “You just have to be that much better. You have to be that much more prepared for the looks that they’re going to give you. I saw a lot of that in New England. I don’t think there was one time where I got a free release off the line. I always had one or two guys jamming me every time. For you to even get in the route, you just have to do a great job on your releases and get away from the guys that are trying to knock you out and take you away.”

(on not having to face media again until after the game) “The whole media aspect of the week has been fun actually. As much as we have to do, it can be tiring for some. I got to speak broken Spanish for a bunch of interviews. It’s been a good time. It will be nice to get that portion over wthl and really start to focus on this game.”

(on any experience as preparation) “The postseason is probably the most experience I’ve had playing on a stage like this. I didn’t play in a BCS Championship game or national championship, so I don’t really have any experience there. I didn’t really play in any big high school games. You know, we played in a couple of AFC championship games and there’s a lot of pressure there just like there will be on this one, but not to this extent. You just have to focus on football and make it about that.”

(on 49ers defense compared to last year) “They’re real similar, a lot of the same players. Obviously, they’ve added a great pass rush and all these spins on the outside that wasn’t around when we played them last year. The key factor is their ability to get to the quarterback and that’s the guy you have to account for. They’re better than they were last year, but real similar.”

(on playing indoors) “We play a lot of games outdoors. It will be nice to play one indoors. We won’t have to worry about the weather, the wind, the cold or anything like that. I think we’re all pretty excited about it.”

NEW ORLEANS — If you go back far enough in time, you’ll find a point when the greatest in NFL history weren’t nearly as accomplished or decorated in their respective careers.

Joe Montana wasn’t always a four-time Super Bowl winner for the San Francisco 49ers. John Elway was long considered the quarterback who couldn’t win the big one before two Super Bowl rings to end his long career in Denver.

In Baltimore, Ray Lewis and the Ravens defense weren’t always associated with the league’s all-time greatest. The soon-to-be-retired linebacker may have been the team’s best defensive player immediately as a rookie in 1996, but the rest of the world didn’t understand his greatness until a victory in Super Bowl XXXV in which he was voted the game’s most valuable player.

That moment in time propelled Lewis into the conversation as one of the greatest defenders in league history and the Baltimore defense into more than a decade of dominance and respect in NFL circles. It’s the shadow quarterback Joe Flacco will try to escape once and for all as the Ravens compete against the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII on Sunday evening.

Even if the fifth-year quarterback doesn’t look at it in the same way, Sunday’s game will be his defining moment.

“This team has had such a great defense for many years, such big faces on that side of the ball,” Flacco said. “That’s what we’re known for. Us guys on the other side, we don’t have any problem with that. We know that in order to win football games we have to go out there and do our job. We’re kind of humble guys on our side of the ball and don’t really care what people say about how we won it.”

Of course, a single championship won’t bring Flacco into the discussion of the all-time greats, but it would forever transform how outsiders perceive both him and the Ravens. With Lewis retiring and safety Ed Reed’s return in doubt, this era of great Baltimore defense is coming to an end. The numbers this season reflected that despite a stalwart performance from Lewis and the defense in three postseason games.

The opinions about Flacco have already been altered as he’s thrown eight touchdown passes and no interceptions in playoff wins over Indianapolis, Denver, and New England. Teammates believes he has nothing left to prove, but the critics and doubters will remain if the Ravens are unable to finish the job against San Francisco.

No one said it was easy — or even fair — to take that final step, but a win against the 49ers is what’s really needed to close the book on one era and open the door to another, presumably with Flacco leading the way. A new-found respect has been penciled in by even his biggest critics this postseason, but his performance on Sunday will be what’s written in permanent ink.

He may not be able to do it alone, but this postseason has fallen heaviest on the broad shoulders of the Baltimore signal-caller.

“This postseason has done that,” tight end Dennis Pitta said. “I don’t know if it will be on one game or not, because we’re going against a really good defense. It’ll be a challenge for us. I think our defense needs to play well, [but] I certainly think the offense has come a long way. That stigma — that perception — that the Baltimore Ravens are only defense has certainly changed through the course of this season and through this postseason.”

Truthfully, there isn’t much more you can ask of Flacco. A loss to the 49ers wouldn’t erase what he’s already done in his first five seasons in the league. Many will debate where he ranks in the quarterback hierarchy, but there’s no disputing his impeccable ability to remain calm in pressure-filled situations.

But a loss would still be a disappointment, leaving him outside a premium group of quarterbacks.

He’s knocking on the door of greatness, but one final push is needed, just as it was when Lewis came through the tunnel and danced in Tampa with the entire world watching on Jan. 28, 2001. In the meantime, those closest to him will continue to sing his praises until the rest of the world finally catches up — at least in their opinions.

“Joe Flacco’s done a hell of a job,” running back Ray Rice said. “He deserves all the credit. Every quarterback out there gets respect, but you’ve got to mention Joe up there with them now because of what he’s done. He just outplayed two Hall of Famers. Tom Brady and Peyton Manning will be Hall of Famers. Joe Flacco outplayed them both, and that doesn’t happen often.”

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TIGHT END DENNIS PITTA

(on being a rising talent) “Opportunity, I think that’s what this league is about. You have to be confident in the player that you are and the talents that you have. I think, finally, last year and this year, I’ve been getting a lot of opportunities to make plays. You have to make the most of them when you get them.”

(on learning from Ed Dickson) “I think we’ve learned a lot from each other. We came in together and so we’ve kind of gone through this process together. I get to bounce things off him and he gets to bounce things off me. When you get to play with a great player like Ed, you get to learn from what they do. I can kind of mimic some of the things he does and vice versa.”

(on playing in the Super Bowl) “It is meeting my expectations. I’ve never experienced this let alone go to the Super Bowl. You don’t know what you expect going into this and finally getting out here it’s a great experience, a lot of fun. Somehow we’ve got to try and focus on football with this game on Sunday.”

(on getting VIP treatment) “We haven’t gotten a whole lot yet. When we came in, we got a nice big bag from Nike. That’s probably the best we’ve been treated.”

(on game expectations for Sunday) “We expect to win. I think there’s a lot going on this week and a lot of distractions. The challenge, for both teams, is to try to focus and prepare the best we can so we can win on Sunday.”

(on facing the 49ers linebackers) “We are prepared. We will be prepared come Sunday. You know, their whole defense has talent all over the board. We’ll have our work cut out for us but we are excited about the challenge. This is definitely the best linebacker corps we’ve seen. I get to see a pretty good one every day at practice. As far as an opponent, these are definitely top in the league.”

(on Joe Flacco against other league quarterbacks) “He’s one of the elite quarterbacks and I think he’s proven that. We’ve known that about him all along. We’ve got a ton of confidence in him and he’s finally able to showcase that. Who are the other quarterbacks in the league? I only know Joe.”

(on playbook changes when Jim Caldwell came in) “I don’t know from a philosophical standpoint that it changed much. I think we’ve just got a few more opportunities to make some plays. I think Jim does a good job of mixing up the pass and the run so we’ve got more of an opportunity to stay balanced with the ball than we did in the past.”

(on increased popularity due to Fantasy Football) “I think Fantasy Football is a huge part of our sport. I think people learn about you through your stats and what you’re able to do for them on their team. So, it’s a huge part of the game and part of the reason why the game has become so popular. That’s pretty much what anyone wants to say to you, is ‘you helped me this week’ or ‘you hurt me this week in fantasy.’

(on personal opinion of Fantasy Football)  “I don’t hate it. I don’t play it. When I was in college, I played it. I think it’s fun. ”

(on why Ravens would win if the game were close on Sunday) “We’ve been in that situation before. We’ve had a lot of close games and a lot of adversity this year. We’ve gone through a lot and we’ve learned a lot. I don’t think there’s any team better prepared than we are to be in a close situation like that.”

(on fans’ role at the Super Bowl) “You know, our fans are great. Somebody told me, I think, we are selling more tickets than they (San Fransisco) are . It doesn’t matter. It’s always nice to have the support. You know, there are fans on both sides and there will be a lot of fans that are just there to kind of watch the game, not (to) have one side or the other. It will be interesting to see how it breaks down.”

(on playing at Moorpark High School) “Those were some good years. I had a great coach there. In high school, I played wide receiver. I was skinny, tall, and didn’t block anyone. I just got to run around and catch passes. It was fun.”

(on choosing Brigham Young University) “It was a crazy process. Like I said, I was a skinny wide receiver coming out of high school and didn’t get a whole lot of interest for whatever reason from Division I schools. BYU was always kind of on my radar. They showed some interest but didn’t have any available scholarships, they invited me to walk on. I kind of had to work my way up from the bottom and had a successful career there.”

(on why this year is special) “We’ve gone through a lot this year. We’ve had a lot of adversity, a lot of highs and lows. It’s been a tremendous year. We’ve had a lot to overcome to get to this point. It’s been a long journey. We’ve made a great run through the postseason and had to play in some tough environments and beat some great teams. We are a battled tested team and excited to be in the position to get one more win.”

(on indirectly getting to the Ravens through the Tim Tebow trade) “I know we picked up an extra pick and trading backs with Denver, and they got Tim Tebow. If  it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be with the Ravens.”

(on QB Joe Flacco throwing to him in the red zone) “You know in the red zone, you have to take advantage of the middle of the field. That’s primarily where Anquan (Boldin) and I work. You have to be able to create some separation there and Joe does a great job of giving us opportunities to make plays.”

(on helping Flacco become an elite quarterback) “Anytime you have a lot of weapons at quarterback, it certainly helps. In this offense, we do have a lot of weapons. I think it starts with the offensive line. The offensive line has a way of playing tremendous football and giving Joe a ton of time. He can sit back, be comfortable and pick defenses a part. He can get into a rhythm and get the ball out to some of his play makers. That’s really the key to his success as a player.”

(on Flacco throwing the ball deep) “I haven’t seen many better arms than Joe. He can make any throw on the field. Obviously, he’s got a ton of arm strength to get the ball down field. He does a great job with those throws.”

(on offensive coordinator Jim Caldwell’s transformation of the offense) “From the first day that Jim came in as offensive coordinator, he took us back to the basics, working on the fundamentals, detailing things a little bit better. He does a great job on game day, mixing up his calls, keeping defense on their heels, and allowing us to really attack and be aggressive.

(on Jim Harbaugh being a “player coach”) “I think Jim’s a great coach. He certainly has the respect of all his players. Everybody looks up to him as being a great football coach and a guy who knows the game. That’s what makes him successful.”

(on 49ers against tight ends in the red zone) “That’s a very interesting statistic. They’re obviously a good defense all around. I think any time you get in the red zone and have a big body like the tight end where you can create some mismatches, it helps, especially against a solid defense like that and you have to find mismatches where you can. We’ll take advantage of some of those as well, but it’s not going to be to score against this team. We’ve been pretty good in the red zone ourselves so we’ll try and take what they give us.”

LINEBACKER PATRICK WILLIS

(on Ravens fullback Vonta Leach) “Vonta Leach is a good fullback. He is an All-Pro fullback, a Pro Bowl fullback, and really I almost feel like he is the last of the dying breed of what you can call a real fullback. He is a tough guy and a guy that every play you have to come with it.”

(on not letting Vonta Leach into the second level to block) “Really it’s just recognizing what’s going on and recognizing the play and just going after it. You have to understand that you have 10 other guys on the defense and if you do the job that you are supposed to do and let the guys help you with the rest.”

(on his relationship with Michael Oher) “That relationship is good. Every offseason we try to get together and hang out. I love Big Mike like a brother man and he is an awesome guy. Like I said, in the offseason we try to get together and hang.”

(on if it will be odd to see Michael Oher on the other sideline) “No. I don’t want to use the word odd. It’s going to be a blessing to play against someone that you played college ball with and someone that you admire as a person. You wish him well, but at the same time too, we want to win. We are going to do everything we can to go out there and compete at a high level and we want to win.”

(on if he has met up with Michael Oher yet in New Orleans) “No, we haven’t met up yet this week. It’s just crazy with everything and the media stuff we have to do. We have our own teams and we have our own practices, but we are going to try to get together one night this week and see if we can get something to eat if we can.”

(on the growth of Ahmad Brooks this year) “Ahmad is one of those guys that we have been together now for the last four or five years. Just to see how far he has come since the first time he came with us as part of this team has been amazing. It’s been a big change of how he goes about his work and wanting to understand and show us how much it means to him and how much he cares, and showing that the previous things that he had that might have held up his head didn’t matter anymore. He was with us to make a new home and to be better and to make this team a better defense. He playing outside linebacker the way it’s supposed to be played. To play linebacker in our defense you can’t be just a run-around guy. You have to be a stout guy and be able to take on blocks and set the edges, and he does that for us week in and week out. That’s the kind of guy I want to be in the middle with because they set those edges and keep us from having to run a whole lot.”

(on where he is in his career compared to Ray Lewis) “I never have been a person to talk about myself. I tend to let others do that. My job is to go out there and compete all the time at a high level and be the very best football player that I can be. People always make comparisons of me to other people. I have the tattoos I have for a reason. On the inside when I flex, it says ‘I’m me.’ What that means is I have all of the respect in the world to the guys that they compare me too. Those are guys who have been there and done that and guys who are doing it right now at a high level. I just hope that someday I can have that kind of name when people talk about linebackers; I can be one of those guys that are talked about. At the end of the day, I can only be me and I can only be the best football player I can be. I hold myself to a high level and I hold myself to a high standard and each day I want to be able to look myself in the mirror when I come off that field, or come off the game field, ‘Did I give it my very best?’ If I can do that, then I am OK with me. I am never satisfied but I am OK with knowing that I can answer that truthfully because only I know if I did. At the end of the day, I can only be me.”

(on becoming a leader on the defense) “I have never been a big ‘ra-ra’ guy. I have never been a guy that gets up in people’s face. There are all types of different leaders in this world. Some people lead by example and others lead by words. Some people lead by not saying anything and people just feel it. I am the type of person that has always been taught to work for what you want and to work for what you want to accomplish. I am a lot better worker than I am a talked. Just let me show you and you just watch. I will show you want we are talking about. To have the kind of guys I have played with over the years and the kind of guys I am playing with now. It’s not hard to go out there and show them because those guys care and they want to win. Anytime that you have a group of guys like that, it makes your job a little bit easier.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Super Bowl XLVII – Wednesday, January 30, 2013

QUOTES FROM SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS MEDIA SESSION

MORE LINEBACKER PATRICK WILLIS

(on how much media he is consuming) “Obviously, when you are walking by the TV right now there are only two teams. There are only two football teams left. It’s just us and the Ravens. When you walk by the TVs you see them talking about the Super Bowl. I don’t like reading the papers a whole lot. I don’t like to sit down and listen to what people have to say. At the end of the day, everyone is going to have an opinion and if you get caught up in what they are talking about and you are not a strong-minded person then you can let it bother you. I try not to pay too much attention to it.”

(on why the 49ers will win if it’s a close game) “If it comes down to a close game it will be because we made more plays and we executed more. It will be because we wanted it more.”

(on what the biggest challenge on Sunday will be) “Our biggest challenge on Sunday will be going out there under the bright lights and playing a complete football game from across the board, offense, defense, and special teams. It’s hard because sometimes you might have two phases, sometimes you might just have one, but if you can get all three phases then a lot of time that guarantees you a chance to win.”

(on playing in the Super Bowl) “It’s going to be crazy man. I never really been a super bug emotional guy when it comes to making a play or winning the game, but right now we are here at the Super Bowl and it’s a normal week to me with a whole lot more media. I’m doing nothing that I wouldn’t do at home during a regular season game. I don’t like using the extra energy that I don’t have to use. Why change anything? Why change your routine and the things that got you to this point. This week I really don’t think it’s going to hit me until the night before. I’m usually like, ‘It’s game day tomorrow, let’s go.’ All during the week it’s just preparation and getting yourself in tune. It’s just getting yourself mentally there and physically there and then the night before the game, I think that’s where my nerves start moving and it’s hard to sleep. I’m like, ‘OK, it’s coming.’”

(on the pending case between former NFL players and the league regarding player safety) “That’s something that I don’t really want to get into. Like I said before, if people have something wrong with them, then I guess they are going to say what they have to say. That’s the talk and subject right now. I have nothing to do with that right now. I am doing alright. I don’t know. I don’t want to touch on that subject.”

(on how he will calm his nerves before the game on Saturday night) “Really man, the biggest thing that I try to do is before I go to sleep on Saturday nights. I just sit down and I will pray. I just ask the Lord for peace and say, ‘Lord, let your will be done.’ At the end of the day His will will be done regardless of what we want the outcome to be. I just pray and hope that when I go to sleep at night that he will give me peace. I wake up in the morning and am ready to go.”

(on the problems that Dennis Pitta presents) “Dennis Pitta, he has emerged to be a good tight end for them. He is a guy who is very elusive and can stretch the field. He is one of the guys that I’m sure I am going to have my times of covering and I am looking forward to the challenge. I really am. I still say that there are very few linebackers that go out there and they cover the way that I do in our packages. It will be a great challenge to go out there and showcase not only play the run and play in the box, but I can play outside of the box as well. It’s going to be a key point I’m sure when I am on him. I am looking forward to the challenge.”

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Super Bowl XLVII – Wednesday, January 30, 2013

QUOTES FROM SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS MEDIA SESSION

MORE LINEBACKER PATRICK WILLIS

(on how Ray Lewis has influenced him as a linebacker) “He has influenced me in the sense that he has played the game for so long at a high level. He plays with passion and he plays with enthusiasm. I call him the Mufasa of middle linebackers. He is just that type of guy that when you watch him you just say, ‘Wow.’ The legacy that he is leaving is a legacy that I feel like will never be forgotten for as long as football is around. He will be one of those names that for as long as people talk about linebackers people will say, ‘Wow, that Ray Lewis.’ That’s the kind of passion that I try to play with. That’s the kind of passion that I strive to play with. That’s the kind of passion that before I even knew who Ray Lewis was, I have always tried to play with. To see him do it at this level and be recognized the way he has, and to see his play, when people talking about passing the torch, that’s the kind of torch that I want to see and I’m sure other linebackers are also. When you watch him play you say, ‘Wow, that’s a bad dude.’ That’s what I have been a fan of, his passion for the game, his heart for the game, the way he plays every snap and the way he plays every play, play in and play out. That’s for real. I just hope that someday, when I am done playing this game, that when I am done playing that they can say those same things about me as well.”

(on why he wears number 52) “It’s one of those things that when I was drafted they asked me and said, ‘What number do you want?’ They gave me 51, I think these are the numbers, 57, 58, 59. Honestly, I’m an even number guy one. Two, 52 just looks so much better than 51, 58, 57 and 59. Maybe that’s just me. Not only did that number 52 look better, I also knew that a guy that I know right now and at that time was wearing that number. It’s one of those numbers that if you wear that number you have to represent. I said to myself that this will be a number play into. This will be a number to represent. At the end of the day, there are expectations behind this number and for this number. You have to show what this number is about and since the time I was drafted I was saying that I have to have 52. If I could have had my college number of 49, then I probably would have had 49. That’s where it is six years later.”

(on how he has adjusted to living in California) “Living in Bruceten (Tenn) and then going to Mississippi, then going to California, it was a big change. You don’t know what you don’t know. Coming from the small town I grew up in, when I went to Ole Miss, I thought, ‘Wow man, this town is huge.’ Other guys would come from Florida and Louisiana and I played with some teammates that would laugh at me and say that this town is small and complain about how small it was and I was talking about how big it is. Then I got out to California and I will never forget that when they picked me up from the airport, and all of the sudden they took me city, I don’t know if we went into San Francisco first or San Jose first, but either way, both are just very, very big places. I just remember being like, ‘Wow, this is a lot of cars. How am I going to drive in all of this traffic?’ Little by little you learn to adapt and now I call San Jose and San Francisco my home. That’s where I bought my house and hopefully that’s where I will be for a long, long time.”

TIGHT END DENNIS PITTA

(on thoughts on 49ers media bias) “You know, I don’t know. I haven’t really been paying attention to what people have been saying. I know we just came from Baltimore and where theres a whole lot of Ravens fans. It’s kind of what we’ve been surrounded with.”

(on entering the Superdome) “I’ve played here before; I played here in college but never in the NFL. It’s an impressive stadium. It feels huge. You look up and you feel like it’s a mile high. It’s a great place to play and a great venue.”

(on having so much security around) “It’s a lot of fun having our guys around. It’s kind of sweet to have this monstrosity of media over there (reference to Ray Lewis’ podium). I feel like a kind of side show compared to what’s going on over there.”

(on John Harbaugh as a coach) “He’s a good football coach. He’s passionate about football, listens to his players on the team, and just knows the game well. He inspires his team and puts us in the best position to win, which is why he has been so successful.”

(on Vernon Davis as an opposing TE) “He’s a great football player. I’m fortunate I don’t have to go against him. I get to watch him on the sideline.”

(on team utilization of the TE position) “We utilize the tight end well. It’s a big part of our pass game. It’s something that we feel like we can create mismatches with the defense. I think we have tight ends that can run and get down field and catch a lot of footballs. That’s helped us.”

(on relationship with fellow TE Ed Dickson) “Ed and I work well together. I think we both have important roles on this team. It’s fun to play with him and to have been here these last few years with him.”

(on why the Ravens deserve to win) “You know, we’ve battled a lot this year. We’ve overcome a lot of adversity. We took a long road to the playoffs to get here. We took on some tough road games. We’re a battle tested team and we know what we’re capable of doing. We’re going to play our hardest and do what we can to win.”

(on feelings about being in the Super Bowl) “This is impressive. It’s kind of a lot going on. It’s a lot of fun and a great experience. You know, the first time I’ve ever been to the Super Bowl, let alone play in it, so I am just trying to enjoy the week.”

(on stepping onto the field Sunday) “Crazy, I don’t know what it’s going to be like. I have played in a lot of big football games and a couple of AFC Championship games but this is going to be probably a big step above that.”

(on Ray Lewis) “I think he’s been great. He’s gone as long as he can this year to the final game and has been huge for our football team.”

(on the changes by Jim Caldwell) “Jim is a great football coach, great leader for our offense. He’s done a tremendous job. I think a change was needed. I think we hit a plateau as an offense with Cam Cameron, for whatever reason. Cameron’s a great coach but I think we needed a change. It was a bold move to make the change in Week 13 like John did, but it ended up being a great decision for us. Jim has really got us to play some good football as of late.”

(on getting Ray Rice more involved) “Ray is a dynamic player and you always want to get him as involved as possible. We’ve tried that all year. It’s not like we’ve neglected to give him the football but we’re doing it in more creative ways now. It’s not just lining up in a pro formation and just handing him the ball. It’s getting him more on the edge and getting him involved in the pass game has really helped.”

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Super Bowl XLVII – Tuesday, January 29, 2013

QUOTES FROM BALTIMORE RAVENS MEDIA DAY

TIGHT END DENNIS PITTA

(on mid-season offensive coordinator change) “It was shocking at the time. Because of the time when it happened, week 13, you don’t expect a change in offensive coordinators. You know, you are sitting with a playoff on the horizon. It was a bold move but it was certainly the right decision. Jim Caldwell is a tremendous football coach and has been great offensive coordinator for us.”

(on Joe Flacco evolving with the offensive coordinator change) “The big part of Joe’s evolvement has been the play of our offensive line. They’ve been tremendous in giving him time. Anytime you can give a quarterback plenty of time to get comfortable and get in a rhythm that certainly helps. I think that has been huge for us in this last run.”

(on Juan Castillo) “He is good football coach. He’s got a great reputation. He has only been with us for a short time so it’s hard to assess right now, but he’s got a great track record and we’re excited to have him on board.”

(on advice from his father about playing) “He’s been an inspiration to me my whole life. He’s knowledgeable about football. He was a great athlete in his time and really helped me and supported me in my whole career. He’s always someone I could turn to for advice, support, and he’s been huge. It’s about effort, playing the game, never quitting, about heart, you know little things that he’s told me along my career that have helped out.”

(on impressions on Colin Kaepernick) “He’s a great football player and great athlete. I watched him a little in Nevada and knew he could run and knew he was a good athlete. I’ve been impressed by how well he throws the football. He’s a tough player and we have our work cut out for us this week to stop him.”

(on how to deal with distractions during the week) “We’ve only got a hand full of guys that have been through this experience before and they have given us a great deal of advice along with Coach Harbaugh. It’s about just staying focused and this is business trip. We’re here to win a football game. We have one game left and that’s got to be our focus. You have to be able to manage the distractions and do your best to focus on the football game. Obviously, that’s what we’ll try to do.”

(on advice from Ray Lewis about being in the Super Bowl) “They’ve kind of echoed the same sentiments. You just have to focus on the game and be able to put everything aside. There’s a lot to do, a lot to do at night here. You’re going to be pulled in a lot of different directions but there’s plenty of time to do that and then party after you win. You have to kind of buckle down this week and just focus on the game.”

(on safety concerns of the game and its future) “The nature of football is violent. I don’t think you will ever be able to eliminate some of those big hits. I understand the league is trying to limit some of those things, the big hits and concussions that are going on. Those are going to happen just by the nature of the sport. I don’t necessarily agree that the sport is going to be gone in 30 years. I think it’s too popular, too exciting for fans. I think they’ll find ways to revise it a little bit, make it a little safer, but as an offensive player, I am okay with that, as long as players aren’t launching at my head.”

(on the road to the Super Bowl) “I think during a season to get to this point you have to be good and you have to be fortunate at times. We’ve been fortunate enough to take the mistakes by defenses, fortunate to make plays that were critical in critical situations. You have to have players that can perform in those situations. We’ve got a quarterback that can make throws in tough situations and players that can make plays. So that’s really driven this team up until this point. We’ve had a lot of adversity. We are a better football team now having gone through all that.

(on expectations coming to the Super Bowl) “It’s tough to know what to expect. I’ve never been to the Super Bowl as a spectator, let alone as a player. You just kind of have to take it all in and enjoy the experience, enjoy the ride, try and focus on the game.”

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Super Bowl XLVII – Tuesday, January 29, 2013

QUOTES FROM BALTIMORE RAVENS MEDIA DAY

TIGHT END DENNIS PITTA

(on how it would feel on playing against a brother in the Super Bowl) “I would have to play against my sister because I don’t have a brother. It would be incredible to play against a sibling like that, someone you grew up with your whole life and know so well. To be on opposite sides where the whole world is watching, I can’t imagine what that would be like.”

(on involvement in the offense at onset of the year) “You know training camp, I did. I think I had some important games at the end of last season too that helped me contribute to the team a little more. So, going into this year I knew my role would be extensive. In training camp I broke my hand, so I missed all of training camp. I kind of had to start fresh again in Week 1. Obviously, as a team it’s been a great year.