Ravens player's grandmother gets ready for game - WALB.com, Albany News, Weather, Sports

Ravens player's grandmother gets ready for game

Posted: Updated:
  • More WALB News10 HeadlinesMore News Headlines

  • Thursday, May 23 2013 11:45 PM EDT2013-05-24 03:45:38 GMT
    A Cordele man is out of jail tonight, accused of stealing thousands of dollars worth of jewelry from his former employer. Crisp County Investigators say 25-year-old James Aultman stole more than $10,000
    A Cordele man is out of jail tonight, accused of stealing thousands of dollars worth of jewelry from his former employer.
  • Thursday, May 23 2013 11:40 PM EDT2013-05-24 03:40:13 GMT
    Albany Police are putting on a free gospel concert this weekend. It's free, but they will accept donations to fund the department's annual community picnic in June. Musical artists from around South
    Albany Police are putting on a free gospel concert this weekend.
  • Thursday, May 23 2013 11:35 PM EDT2013-05-24 03:35:30 GMT
    A couple of South Georgia mayors attended a forum at the Albany Civil Rights Institute to enlighten the public on how city governments run, Thursday. Albany Mayor Dorothy Hubbard and Baconton Mayor Annette
    A couple of South Georgia mayors attended a forum at the Albany Civil Rights Institute to enlighten the public on how city governments run, Thursday.
SHELLMAN -

One Baltimore Ravens fan in Shellman has a stronger connection to the team than most people.

Like most football fans, Hattie Johnson decorated her house in her favorite team's colors for the Super Bowl.

"I wanted it to look nice," says Hattie Johnson, Joshua Byne's Grandmother.

But Johnson has a special connection with the Ravens. "My grandson, Josh Bynes, # 56," says Johnson.

Her grandson started for the Ravens in the big Super bowl game, as a middle linebacker. "Been watching him since he was a little boy, since he started playing football," says Johnson.

But back then, she wasn't too happy about him playing in such a rough sport.

"I used to get upset with his mom because I didn't want anybody to touch him, I thought they were hurting him when they would tackle him and I would go and get him, and she said 'Mom you are not going to be able to come to the ball games because this is what they do,' and so I stopped going because I would get upset," says Johnson.

Since then she has gotten used to the tackling. And she loves being able to watch him do what he loves on T.V.

"It is exciting, we have been watching him since he was in college, he went to Auburn University, and he was one of the ones who brought them to the championship 3 years straight," says Johnson.

He joined the Ravens in July 2011. But early this season he suffered a cracked vertebrae during a goal-line scrimmage close to the beginning of training camp.

Which made his start Sunday night even more thrilling.

"He loves it, he just loves the Baltimore Ravens, he feels like that is his whole family, and he feels at home with the Baltimore Ravens," says Johnson.

Copyright 2013 WALB.  All rights reserved.