When Derrick Mason made his grand entrance to the practice field Sunday, fans gave him a lengthy ovation and shouted, "Welcome back home."
Every time he caught a pass - whether it was a short toss or a 20-yarder down the middle of the field - a ripple of cheers rose from the crowd.
It was a perfect return for Mason. Well, almost perfect.
"T.O. [Terrell Owens] was in Buffalo not even a day and he got a band," Mason said with a laugh. "I've been here four years and I can't even get the Girl Scouts to come out."
In his first practice since ending a retirement that lasted 20 days, Mason was hitting full stride.
On the field, the team's top receiver didn't drop a pass and didn't show any signs of having off-season shoulder surgery. Off it, he was equally silly and serious - but he was always sincere.
In explaining why he retired on July 13, Mason said that family was the biggest factor but acknowledged the murder of close friend and teammate Steve McNair affected him, too.
"When something like that happens out of the blue, it makes you think about certain things - where your life is headed, where your football career is headed," Mason said. "I think all of those things combined together brought me to that one decision in early July to retire."
Mason, 35, insisted this was a personal decision, not a business one.
He is scheduled to make $3 million in the final year of his contract. His public campaign in March to get an extension caused some to think his retirement announcement was a tactic to get more money.
"When I made it, I was sincere about it," he said. "It wasn't a ploy or anything contractual. It was from the heart. ... I don't want that to be a carrot hanging over my head. People are going to say, 'Well, he just came back for the contract.' I didn't get an extension. I'm coming back to play football and try to win a Super Bowl."
The return of Mason significantly improves the Ravens' chances of achieving that goal.
He has led the Ravens in receptions in three of his four seasons here, averaging 84 catches during that span. He also owns the most 1,000-yard receiving seasons in team history (three).
Mason's presence was certainly needed Sunday, the third day of training camp. By the end of practice, receivers Mark Clayton and Demetrius Williams were icing down their hamstrings.
"I've said it from the beginning and I've told Derrick this: 'We're a better football team with Derrick Mason,' " coach John Harbaugh said.
