Making Amends

Many players have come and gone since the Ravens claimed their Super Bowl championship during the 2000 season. But, while the leader of that defense still dons purple and black seven seasons later, the leader of that offense never entered the next training camp.

After that historic run to glory, the Ravens decided not to renew Dilfer's contract. It then took seven years of stewing on that decision before the quarterback came to terms with it.

Dilfer still doesn't agree with the sudden and unexpected release, but he is ready to give up his long-standing resentment of head coach Brian Billick, realizing that it wasn't solely the coach's choice for what was an organizational result.

"I want to use this opportunity to publicly apologize to Brian for that bitterness," he said in a Wednesday teleconference with Baltimore media members. "I'm going to make a point to see him on Sunday. He's been the man in this deal and I haven't. I've been the childish one and I want to end that right now."

Dilfer, who took over the starting job from Tony Banks nine games into the season, was then let go in favor of Elvis Grbac in an unprecedented move that sent a Super Bowl-winning signal-caller to the street.

This weekend, Dilfer will get a chance to face off against linebacker Ray Lewis, the Super Bowl XXXV Most Valuable Player, as he starts for the San Francisco 49ers in a Week 5 matchup. Dilfer will fill in for incumbent Alex Smith, who suffered a separated shoulder in Week 4.

Dilfer will also get the chance to apologize for some harsh words he delivered earlier this year.

"He grossly misunderstood the talent of that football team, myself specifically," Dilfer stated during a stint covering Super Bowl XLII for the NFL Network. "I totally agree with so many of the things he did. But to this day, I am so sad I didn't have the chance to face the challenge of repeating."

While Dilfer has since bounced around to the Seattle Seahawks, Cleveland Browns and the 49ers, he has never forgotten his time with the Ravens, especially revisiting Tampa, Fl. with the team for the biggest game of his life. The former first-round draft pick of the Buccaneers was nervous heading into the contest, but Dilfer relied on his teammates and coaches for support.

"[I had] the support of my teammates," he said. "Brian did a great job that week preparing the team for some of the distractions that Ray [Lewis] was going to have and that I was going to have. Each guy recognizing what it meant to me to go back there, and their words of encouragement to help me stay focused on the job at hand and not get caught up in my past experiences there."

It certainly worked out for the Ravens. Lewis is one former teammate that will always cherish Dilfer's contributions, and while he admitted that he still doesn't go along with the choice, he's moving on.

"I think it's too long ago to think about it now," Lewis stated. "But, I don't think it's right when you let a person who takes you to the Super Bowl – and then win it – to let him go.

"He was just the ultimate team player. I think you just love playing with Trent because no matter what Trent went through, Trent always kept it positive."

Throughout seven years of estrangement, Billick always kept things positive, as well.

In his regular Monday press conference this week, the coach addressed the issue.

"I have a huge respect for Trent and all that he represented here," Billick said. "I can understand why this is something that he doesn't want to let go. I don't know that there is anything that I will ever be able to say or do to rectify in that regards. [I have] huge respect for the man.

"I know that he still holds fond regards for the organization [and] the people in the organization."

It won't be the first time Dilfer has faced his former team. The 14-year veteran saw the Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium in 2005 as a starter for the Browns.

Dilfer went 16-of-30 for 147 yards and an interception courtesy of that same defense's leader, Ray Lewis.

"When I went there with Cleveland, I didn't think it would be hard. I didn't think it would be an added distraction," Dilfer said about the 16-3 Cleveland loss. "As hard as I tried not to let it capture any of my focus, it did. Walking into the stadium, the memories that it brought back, my strong, strong affection for that organization and so many of the people in it, it did."

The quarterback maintains that this time will be different, but even if they're former teammates - with the same Super Bowl ring - there is no doubt that Lewis and Co. will do everything they can to make this an unfriendly meeting.