Suggs Part of Sunday Night Football Opener

Terrell Suggs, the talkative Baltimore Ravens linebacker, is taking a mantle from a former teammate, known for his colorful locker room speeches.

NBC announced Tuesday that Suggs will be one of 13 NFL players featured in this season's Sunday Night Football opening, succeeding players including retired linebacker Ray Lewis.

Though NBC will air the Ravens' season opener at the Denver Broncos next Thursday, the new opener won't air until the following Sunday, Sept. 8, when the Dallas Cowboys host the New York Giants.

Carrie Underwood performs this year's opener, succeeding Faith Hill, who had performed the opening song, "Waiting All Day for Sunday Night," since 2007.

Other players in this year's opening include Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning, Giants quarterback Eli Manning and Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck.

Besides the season opener, the Baltimore Ravens are scheduled to host two games to air on NBC: a Thanksgiving date with the Pittsburgh Steelers and a Dec. 22 match with the New England Patriots.

Suggs is no stranger to claiming the spotlight on Sunday Night Football: he once took the opportunity of the night's lineup introductions to offer his name and college as "Sizzle, Ball So Hard University."

Another duty Suggs may have inherited from Lewis: being the last man out of the tunnel when the defense is introduced at M&T Bank Stadium, as seen in this Ravens video from a preseason game.