When Kyle Van Noy took down Russell Wilson for his 9.5th sack of the 2024 NFL season, no one was more excited for the Baltimore Ravens rusher than Tom Brady, his former teammate with the New England Patriots.
Famously signed off the street in 2023, Van Noy played well enough to earn a new two-year, $9 million contract to remain with the Ravens until 2025 and has justified that investment with one of his best overall seasons as a pro under first-year defensive coordinator Chris Orr. Playing an average of 59 percent of the Ravens' snaps in 2024 as their starting outside linebacker, Van Noy made his presence known in Week 16 in a big way, taking Wilson down for his first sack on the game and officially breaking his career record of nine along the way.
Discussing the incredible path Van Noy took to the Ravens, Brady celebrated his former teammate for working hard to get where he is today, playing through a broken eye socket instead of “quitting on his team.”
“He broke his eye socket earlier this season,” Brady said via Sarah Ellison on social media. “He basically played with a broken face, and I see other guys in the league. Walking out on their teammates because they don't want to play. … It's why he's a champion.”
Dang, Brady, that is fierce.
Now, the Hall of Fame-bound QB is clearly referencing De'Vondre Campbell, who famously refused to check in for the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday Night Football against the Los Angeles Rams. But the Ravens had their own situation that was very similar earlier this season, too, when Diontae Johnson, fresh off of being acquired from the Carolina Panthers, refused to play against the Philadelphia Eagles and was subsequently suspended, excused from practice, and then waived over the course of a whirlwind month. While Johnson may find a new home before the end of the season, maybe even with the Steelers, it's clear Van Noy won't be looking for one any time soon, as the now-double-digit sacker has become a fixture of Charm City.

Kyle Van Noy was not happy with the Cheifs over his eye injury
Speaking of Van Noy's eye injury, the actual conditions from which he was injured are actually pretty crazy, as the Chiefs' medical staff waited an entire quarter to even give him treatment.
“Which, to me, is unacceptable, because then you start thinking, ‘What if I was trying to go back in the game? What if I was really, really hurt?'” Van Noy said via the Baltimore Banner.
“To me, I just feel like, as a player, people have that expectation of you being professional, handling business. And in a time of need, I wanted that from them, and I felt like I didn't get it. Because then you get into, like, ‘Did they take their time because I'm a Ravens player? Blah-blah-blah-blah-blah.' Those are just the thoughts that go into it. I don't think it was that. But at the same time, I don't want them to come out and apologize. It is what it is. Like, it's all good. I don't need them to come out with a press release and say they apologize, ‘We take care of our players, blah-blah-blah.' I experienced it.”
Was that an example of the Chiefs' personnel putting a finger on the scale or a genuine mistake? Either way, it certainly doesn't look good on either side, especially considering how things shook out in a seven-point game.