Feb. 10, 2026, 10:53 a.m. ET

The Baltimore Ravens traded Orlando Brown Jr. to the Kansas City Chiefs in April 2021 in exchange for a first-round and a third-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. That first-round pick became Odafe Oweh, who delivered a game-saving play later that season in Baltimore’s win over Kansas City. But for Brown, the decision to request a trade wasn’t personal; it was positional. With Ronnie Stanley entrenched as the Ravens’ starting left tackle and locked in long-term, Brown knew his path to playing his preferred position in Baltimore was blocked.

Brown appeared on The Ryan Ripken Show and had this to say about his departure from the Ravens: “That was the hardest thing for me to do in my career… As I mentioned, I was living out my dream… I always wanted to be a Raven… the reality is that it came down to for me is Ronnie Stanley at the time, and even still to this day, is one of the best left tackles in football.”

Brown ultimately got the opportunity he was looking for, and the Ravens were able to recoup significant draft capital in return. But his comments years later make one thing clear: even after moving on, Brown still views Baltimore as the place where his NFL dream started — and his trade request as a decision rooted in respect, not resentment.

Expert NFL picks: Exclusive betting insights only at USA TODAY.