Ravens’ Kyle Van Noy still thriving despite not being a ‘typical’ player after nearly quitting football

Ravens linebacker Kyle Van Noy spent his first two-plus years with the Lions after being drafted in the second-round in 2014 and later won two of three Super Bowl appearances with the Patriots. He tackles some Q&A with Post columnist Steve Serby before Sunday’s divisional round battle with the Bills. 

Q: What would be the movie title about your career? 

A: (Laugh) That’s a good one. 

Q: Resilience? Perseverance? 

A: No, I would just call it, “The Football Player.” 

Q: Why? 

A: Because I’m not your typical — I’m not the fastest, the biggest, the strongest. I might not be your first pick, I might not be your last pick, but I’m going to be your best pick, because I’m a football player. When you roll out a football, somehow, some way, I’m going to show up with the ball and somehow, some way you’re going to keep seeing me show up on the field like, “Oh man!” 

Q: What is the difference between defending Josh Allen and defending Lamar Jackson? 

A: On man. Josh Allen, brute force. Lamar’s speed kills. 

Q: How would you describe Lamar as a teammate? 

A: Lamar’s an amazing teammate, can’t say enough good things about him. He makes everybody feel important. He makes everybody want to be a better player. He’s focused, locked in, and he’s got that aura. The aura that you can’t teach — either you have it or you don’t, and he has it. 

Q: You’ve personally had success against Josh Allen over the years. 

A: I like playing against him, he’s competitive. He’s one of the better quarterbacks, and for me, I like playing the best. To see his growth, it’s cool to see from afar, but it’s business when we’re playing. There’s respect, right? Just as much as they’re trying to win, I’m trying to win just as much, if not more. 

Q: What makes this Ravens team a team no one wants to play right now? 

A: That’s a good question. I’m on it, so I don’t know how to answer that (laugh). But I just think we’re a complete team — offense, defense, special teams. We play as a unit, we care about all of the guys on our team. It’s an honor to take the field with the men that we have and the group that we have, and just try to enjoy it as much as possible, and I think people see that on film that we care about each other. 

Q: Describe the on-field personality of your defense. 

A: Dawgs. … Just have a lot of people that are hungry to be really good at football and have chips on their shoulder, and that enjoy playing with each other, enjoy coming to work, crackling jokes. But then, between those white lines we take it very serious, and a way to express ourselves as football players. 

Q: Have you been a victim of Derrick Henry’s stiff-arm? 

A: (Laugh) No, no, no. I’ve been a victim of a bad game though, so I can admit to that. It’s not fun, and it was in the playoffs too to make it even worse. 2019, they [Titans] came up to New England, Tom [Brady’s] last game, [Henry] rushed for like a buck 80 on us [in a 20-13 Titans victory on Jan. 4, 2020]. Bad day at the office. 

Q: How deadly is that stuff-arm? 

A: I mean, you see it on TV, it’s not fun (laugh). I’m just grateful I haven’t gotten one. 

Q: How intimidating is Derrick Henry rolling downhill in the cold? 

A: I hope he’s a big factor. I hope everyone’s intimidated. 

Q: What kind of atmosphere do you anticipate on Sunday night? 

A: Buffalo fans are some of the best fans in the league. Bills Mafia, they do a great job. I think it’s going to be electric. They don’t care if it’s cold, hot, they’re ready to go, they’re fired up. It’s impressive, and we’re going to enjoy the moment. Anytime you get a chance to have a memory like that, you just want to put in the bank, and hopefully put it in the bank for a good memory. 

Q: Do you impart your wisdom to your teammates about winning a Super Bowl? 

A: I try to be respectful. I just try to do things here and there. I don’t ever want to be too loud, you know? I just want to not only do the lead by example, but I pick my spots when I speak. I feel like guys listen and respect what I have to say sometimes, but just try to be respectful and pick and choose those moments when it’s necessary. 

Q: Describe the thrill of winning a Super Bowl — you won the LI overtime classic against the Falcons and LIII over the Rams — and the agony of losing one — the LII shootout against the Eagles 

A: I’ll tell you this: I think about the loss more than my wins. That’s how much I love winning. 

Q: How painful was that loss to the Nick Foles-led Eagles following the 2017 season? 

A: Yeah, the loss is forever ingrained, it’s brutal. It’s almost like a family member died for you. 

Q: Were you on the field for that Philly Special? 

A: I was. Thanks for reminding me. 

Q: Have you avoided watching it? 

A: No, I don’t avoid it. It happened, it’s in the past. You move on, but you don’t forget it, right? 

Q: You’re down 28-3 against the Falcons in the Super Bowl following the 2016 season. What are you thinking at that point? 

A: We’re just trying to get a play started, and once we got one play, stacked it on another and then another and another, and just kept swinging and kept swinging and never gave up, and eventually the tide turned, and it turned in our favor and we ended up winning the game. 

Q: Which one was sweeter, that one or the 13-3 win over the Rams following the 2018 season? 

A: They’re all different, right? You enjoy both of ’em, but that 28-3, kind of where I started off in my career, what I went through in Detroit to get traded mid-year and then win a Super Bowl, it was pretty magical. 

Q: How big was, or is, the chip on your shoulder? 

A: It still is pretty big. I didn’t get Pro Bowl or All-Pro this year, so I felt pretty disappointed about that. But it wasn’t in the cards [but] I hope each and every week I can continue to show that I’m one of the best players in the league. 

Q: How proud of you that at age 33 you had a 12.5-sack season? 

A: Yeah, I’m super proud, because everybody’s kind of written me off or they’ve called it a resurgence, but it’s more like I’ve always been a good football player, now I’m just getting sacks and more people are paying attention. 

Q: Why is or why was Kyle Van Noy a Bill Belichick guy? 

A: I think I’m still a Bill Belichick guy, but I think I embody everything that he loves about a football player — smart, dependable, a winner, ready always, trying to do the right thing on the football field, be in the right spot at the right time, and just have a knack for the football. And then, no distractions. I’m not going to give him any distractions — like being late, or off the field. You don’t have to worry about me. 

Q: Describe your on-field mentality. 

A: I don’t care what people think. I believe I’m one of the best players in the world. 

Q: What are you most proud of about your career? 

A: Not quitting. … Because I’ve had basically just an unusual career. I started off in Detroit my first two years, got traded in my third, then won the Super Bowl, then resigned with the Patriots, so I was there for another three years. Then finally I played well enough to earn a huge contract, be a franchise player, thought I was going to be a cornerstone, ended up getting fired by Miami after one year, and then went back to New England, where I thought I was going to finish my career, ended up getting fired again, and then went to Los Angeles Chargers, played there, thought I was going to go back there, they didn’t want me back, so then I was on the streets, and then Baltimore picked me up, and I’ve had back-to-back career years in sacks. 

Q: When was the closest you came to quitting, and what kept you from quitting? 

A: My wife (laugh). I don’t know, there’s been two times. I would say after my second year, when I was injured and battled a back injury, and then after I got fired by Miami [after the 2020 season] I was ready to just be done. 

Q: What did your wife Marissa tell you? 

A: She just said, “You don’t want to regret not chasing your dreams.” 

Q: You endured a period of depression in Detroit? 

A: I was struggling in football … like athletics … I’ve never experienced that in my entire life, I didn’t know how to deal with it. Worked with an awesome therapist who I still talk to this day, Dana Sinclair, she’s awesome. And battled through it. 

Q: How often do you speak to your therapist now? 

A: I kind of have a coach now, her name’s Marie Diamond. I still talk to Dana as far as like friends and stuff, but I would say Marie Diamond, she’s kind of like my life coach/therapist now. 

Q: Do you think it’s important for NFL players to have that kind of support? 

A: Yeah, I think everybody should. I think people in regular life should. Obviously good to hear people who’ve gone through things themselves and give you a different perspective of thinking. 

Q: What drives you? 

A: Winning, my family, having my son (Trae) look up to his dad showing him hard work and smart work equals success. 

Q: What makes Ravens coach John Harbaugh special? 

A: Very good at wearing all the hats that you need to. 

Q: How have you seen Zach Orr evolve as your defensive coordinator? 

A: His confidence in everything, confidence that the work he’s doing shows up, the time he puts in, the relationships he’s built, all that. 

Q: Describe the night Jets QB Sam Darnold was seeing ghosts against your Patriots in 2019. 

A: (Laugh) I’ll never forget that one, and then for that to go out and break like it did, oh man. … But it was real, he was out there seeing ghosts. During that time, the boogeymen were real back then. 

Q: Three dinner guests? 

A: My wife, hopefully I’ll get some brownie points for that; Michael Jordan; Tiger Woods. 

Q: Favorite movie? 

A: “Man on Fire.” 

Q: Favorite actor? 

A: Denzel Washington. 

Q: Favorite actress? 

A: Angelina Jolie 

Q: Favorite entertainer? 

A: I’m a comedian guy, so I’m going to say Dave Chappelle, Katt Williams, Bill Burr, Shane Gillis. 

Q: Why are you a comedian guy? 

A: I like to do stand-up on the side every once in a while, like some open mics, and I’ve always been a comedian guy. 

Q: Favorite meal? 

A: I enjoy my mom’s cooking, my wife’s cooking, just a really good meal of any culture from Asian cuisine to Mexican to Polynesian food. 

Q: Would Tom Brady be “The Football Player” also? 

A: No, he would be “The GOAT.” 

Q: Is there another one who you would consider as “The Football Player”? 

A: One that comes to mind is [Eagles linebacker] Zack Baun. He went from playing on the ball in college at Wisconsin, he was bouncing back and forth in New Orleans, didn’t really have a place for him, then continued to work, Vic Fangio picks him up and he turns into an All-Pro, Pro Bowl-caliber player. One of the best inside linebackers in the league, and he plays football, like you can see his IQ jumps off the charts. He plays with great intensity, and he’s just a football player. He has a knack to make plays, whether it’s in coverage or rushing the passer. So he reminds me of a football player. Another one that comes to mind is a guy like [Vikings safety] Harrison Smith. Very, very, very good, been very talented his whole career, but just a football player. Just seems to always be in the right spot at the right time and continues to make plays. 

Q: How much longer do you want to play? 

A: (Laugh) Good question. I’m just taking one game at a time. 

Q: You have one year after this? 

A: Yeah, I do have one more year. But I have no guarantees though so you never know. I’ve learned my lesson on that. 

Q: Why do you think as “The Football Player” you have not been appreciated the way you should have been at different stops? 

A: That’s a good question, I don’t know. I’ve been trying to figure that out my whole career. I’ve been trying to figure out why I’ve been overlooked by teams, coaches. … I’ve tried to figure that out my whole career. When you figure that out, come tell me, I’d love to know (laugh). 

Q: What message would you want to give to Ravens fans about Sunday night? 

A: Just believe no matter what.