Ravens' Sam Koch Sets Franchise Record by Playing in 130th Straight Game

Baltimore Ravens punter Sam Koch set a team record by playing in his 130th consecutive game Thursday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Per Patrick Gleason of the team's public relations staff, Koch broke the record of 129 games set by current San Diego Chargers linebacker Jarret Johnson from 2003 to 2011.

Koch's record comes with the caveat that he's a punter, making it quite a bit easier to stay healthy than if he played nearly any other position.

Still, Koch's longevity is impressive, as he's tied with defensive tackle Haloti Ngata for the honor of being the second-longest-tenured current Raven. Both Ngata and Koch were selected in the 2006 draft. Ngata went 12th overall in the first round, while Koch had to wait until the sixth round, going No. 203 overall.

Outside linebacker Terrell Suggs, who was selected in the first round of the 2003 draft, is easily the team's longest-tenured player.

Though he's typically been an above-average punter during his time in Baltimore, Koch may not be a Raven for much longer. 2015 represents the final year of his contract, and the team can save $2.5 million in cap room by releasing him before next season, according to OverTheCap.com.

While it's possible the two sides could agree to a reduced salary, the Ravens would almost certainly prefer $2.5 million of cap room to a good but not quite elite punter.

Should Koch miss a game or see his run with the team end after this season, quarterback Joe Flacco would be positioned to break the team's record for consecutive games.

Since going 18th overall in the 2008 draft, Flacco has started each of Baltimore's 98 regular-season contests.