Kicker Matt Stover had recently finished building a house in the Cleveland area when the move to Baltimore was announced. He and his wife had a toddler and were expecting another baby. He recalls the early months of 1996 as chaotic, with none of the players or team employees knowing where to live or even what to call the franchise.
Stover quickly gained comfort in July when the team began its first training camp in Westminster. Coach Ted Marchibroda wore the team out with two-a-day practices in full pads, allowing breaks only on Sunday mornings, so he could attend Mass.