Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps doesn't keep his athletic interests just to the pool.
Phelps was born in Baltimore, Maryland, and grew up in a suburb of Baltimore County. His career as an Olympic swimmer took him to Arizona, where he could train year-round, but that didn't mean he forgot his roots. Phelps grew up a Baltimore Ravens fan, and remains an avid fan to this day.
The franchise has honored him several times over the years, and he not only attends games but also supports the franchise whenever he can. Most recently, his worlds combined ahead of the 2025 season when he helped teach some of the Ravens players how to swim. Phelps is now not only a huge fan of the team, but also could be considered a coach of sorts.
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Here is more on where Phelps is from and his Ravens fandom.
Where is Michael Phelps from?
Phelps was born in Baltimore, Maryland. He grew up in the Rodgers Forge neighborhood of Towson. Phelps graduated from Towson High School in 2003, but he didn't go right to college.
He qualified for the 2000 Summer Olympics when he was just 15 years old, becoming the youngest male since 1932 to make a U.S. Olympic swim team.
Phelps didn't go to college until 2024, when he became a volunteer assistant coach at Michigan, where he also took some classes, but never pursued a degree.
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Why is Michael Phelps a Ravens fan?
Growing up outside Towson, Phelps was a Ravens fan. His father played football throughout high school and college, and tried out for Washington in the 1970s, but never played.
Whenever Phelps was swimming, he was referred to as "the Baltimore Bullet." Even when Phelps eventually moved to train for the Olympics year-round in Arizona, he remained an avid Ravens fan.
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Michael Phelps Ravens swimming lessons, explained
The movement began in the 2025 offseason. Star cornerback Marlon Humphrey posted a video of himself, Ronnie Stanley, Kyle Hamilton and Charlie Kolar in the team's new pool diving side to side. The players said that one out of three Ravens players on the team don't know how to swim and Humphrey tagged Phelps in the post for help. The swimmer replied "I got y'all! Let's do it!"
Hey @MichaelPhelps we need your help!! From the #RavensAquaticsTeam pic.twitter.com/hH8NTbDJPa
— marlonhumphrey.eth (@marlon_humphrey) July 29, 2025
Phelps made good on his promise. He showed up with some other trainers to help teach the players how to swim.
Michael Phelps teaching Travis Jones how to swim with the help of a pool noodle = 🥇content pic.twitter.com/SIfjAbm0wH
— Ryan Mink (@ryanmink) August 12, 2025
Never stop learning, folks. Georgia native Roquan Smith said he can doggy paddle maybe 20 yards or so, but today he was among the Ravens’ most engaged students learning how to legit swim. pic.twitter.com/u9i7TseUDs
— Ryan Mink (@ryanmink) August 12, 2025
Things even got a little competitive at the end of the time, with Phelps racing some of the players.
Michael Phelps stepped back up on the block today and went toe to toe with the Baltimore Ravens in a 25 Free for time…
— Kyle Sockwell (@kylesockwell) August 13, 2025
He’s still got it.
9.98 - Michael Phelps (@MichaelPhelps)
14.29- Kyle Hamilton (@Ravens Safety) pic.twitter.com/6ncuJAfxfk